Blurbs and Other Such Things
by Saya Moonshadow
Summary: Oneshot collection. Shot 51..."Even back then, Teridax loved power, and second-in-command just didn't cut it. Not even leader cuts it, because that's still not the absolute top."
1. Tahu, Gali, and Kopaka, Passing Notes

**Number One**

**Title: Passing Notes**

**Pairing: Slight Tahu/Gali, with some Kopaka/...whoever you want to think his nameless girlfriend is.**

**Prompt: Passing notes during a test**

**Characters: Tahu, Gali, Kopaka**

**Warning: AU, much oddity, and Tahu and Kopaka's "rivalry".**

X x X

Gali,

What's the answer to number five? These names and dates go way over my head.

--Tahu

X x X

_Tahu,_

_This is called a "test" for a reason, you know._

_--Gali_

X x X

Gali,

Come on, I'm desperate!

...I'll buy you ice cream.

--Tahu

X x X

_Tahu,_

_Stop bribing me, you know my weaknesses._

_--Gali_

X x X

Gali,

Exactly! You give me the answer, I give you ice cream. It's a win-win situation!

--Tahu

X x X

_Tahu,_

_Fine. Meet me by my locker after school._

_The answer is "Old Ironsides"._

_--Gali_

X x X

Gali,

I love you.

--Tahu

X x X

_Tahu,_

_Stop flattering me, I have a huge ego._

_--Gali_

X x X

**Tahu,**

**Leave Gali alone before Ms. Roodaka notices you and fails you both. I don't care what happens to you, but leave Gali out of it.**

**--Kopaka**

X x X

Kopaka,

You're just jealous she was passing notes to ME and not you.

--Tahu

X x X

Gali,

You say YOU have a big ego? Take a look at Ice Princess over there and you'll see a big ego. He wouldn't know humble if it slapped him across the face.

Speaking of which, I just might do that.

--Tahu

X x X

**Tahu,**

**I have a girlfriend, dumbass. I just don't want Gali to suffer because of your stupidity.**

**--Kopaka**

X x X

_Tahu,_

_Don't you dare - his fangirls will be on you for that. I have no wish to be chased down three streets during rush hour again._

_--Gali_

X x X

Kopaka,

Right, right - I forgot. You've been single for so long I'm just used to it.

Hey, what's the answer to number 6?

--Tahu

X x X

Gali,

Those things are evil. He so much as glances at them and they swoon. I still have nightmares about the time they broke into the locker room while we were changing. He screamed like a little girl and hid in my locker, leaving ME to beat them off with my sweaty gym socks. Good thing we'd just gotten done with PE so they were extra stinky. I'd never been so grateful that Mr. Pouks is so obsessive about kolhii.

--Tahu

X x X

**Tahu,**

**Go lick a toilet seat.**

**It's Andrew Jackson.**

**--Kopaka**

X x X

_Tahu,_

_Seriously? Wow. I'm scared now. I don't think I want to be friends with you guys anymore if that's a regular occurrence._

_--Gali_

X x X

Kopaka,

I hope no one goes to your funeral, you bastard.

Thanks.

--Tahu

PS: Turn down your iPod - your emo music is depressing me.

X x X

Gali,

If you wanna maintain your ice cream supply, you'd better not!

By the way, can you fix my favorite shirt after we're done with aforementioned ice cream? It fell apart again. Or rather, I picked a fight with Vakama and he ripped a nice long hole in it with his shoe.

--Tahu

X x X

**Tahu,**

**Go play in traffic.**

**You're welcome.**

**--Kopaka**

**PS: It's not emo, it's Hawthorne Heights.**

X x X

_Tahu,_

_OK, I get the point. For the sake of my ice cream, we're still friends._

_Sure thing. Any other clothes that need mending? We don't have any homework, and it IS the weekend now, so I might as well. Heh, but don't deny that you love your older brother. Just because he wrecks your clothes when you piss him off doesn't mean he doesn't love you too._

_--Gali_

X x X

Kopaka,

Go bother Tuyet when she's PMSing.

--Tahu

PS: Hawthorne Heights is frickin' emo! EMO KID! EMO KID! EMO KID!

X x X

Gali,

You know you love me!

--Tahu

X x X x X

**AN: First drabble, completed! This is a multichapter fic. Well, not necessarily a multichapter fic, but more or less a oneshot-request fic. So, anyone want to request anything? I'll do pairings, crack, angst, drama, whatever you want. I'd prefer not to do slash, but if I must...and yes, I will write canon/OC if that's what you want. Not too many though, please.**

**One more thing: if you request, then I HAVE to have a prompt. I'm not taking requests without prompts, I just can't do it. Danke.**

**Please review!**


	2. Nidhiki and Krekka, Petting Zoo

**Number Two**

**Title: Petting Zoo**

**Requested by: Nobility**

**Pairing: Nidhiki/Krekka friendship**

**Prompt: "Master and pet"**

**Characters: Nidhiki, Krekka, Kikanalo, Onewa, Ahkmou, the Shadowed One, Lariska**

**Warning: Nidhiki's superiority complex. -twitches-**

X x X

"Hey look, Nidhiki!" Krekka shouted, pointing towards the Rahi ambling along in the desert. "Kikanalo!"

Nidhiki glared at his partner. "I'm not going anywhere near those things, if that's what you're wanting to know. Don't you know anything about Kikanalo?"

"I know that they're pack animals," Krekka defended. "And that the moms protect their calves with their lives..." His voice took on a new tone, an excited one that made Nidhiki began to fear for his dignity. "Hey, hey, hey, Nidhiki! We could totally--"

"No." the former Air Toa snapped. "We are NOT stealing a baby Kikanalo. I forbid it."

Krekka pouted. "Why not?"

"Unlike you, I have no wish to be stampeded into a million pieces." Nidhiki said. "You just mentioned a good reason NOT to - the mothers are fiercely protective of their young. Therefore, we go nowhere NEAR them."

However, his words fell upon deaf ears, as Krekka was already inching towards the herd of Rahi, obviously trying to be as silent as possible. His eyes were focused on one particularly small calf that was grazing a few feet away from its mother, chewing on the sparse grass contentedly and without a care in the world.

The mother was a different story, though. Her red eyes narrowed and she blew out of her nose dangerously as Krekka continued to creep closer. And then she lowered her head almost thoughtfully, as if wondering how high he'd fly if she were to ram him.

"Uh, Krekka," Nidhiki called nervously. "Krekka!"

"SHH!" Krekka hissed at him, "I almost got him!"

The mother Kikanalo charged.

Quick as a flash, Nidhiki spat an energy web at her, which ensnared her and made her fall, bellowing, to the ground. Unfortunately, this attracted the attention of the rest of the herd, who all chose that moment to see just what the trouble was. Every fully grown Kikanalo in the herd lowered its head in the traditional charging position.

Nidhiki felt beads of sweat break over his face. Luckily he knew what to do with irritated animals - just don't move. Don't act like a threat. Wait for them to lose interest, and then, CALMLY, leave the area. "Krekka, don't move--" he started to say, but too late.

"GAH! NIDHIKI!" Krekka yelled and took off running. As if in answer, the herd charged, all bellowing and snorting and making the hunting calls that would haunt Nidhiki's dreams in years to come.

And Nidhiki was not a fast runner.

Only one thing left to do then.

Krekka yelped as he felt one of his partner's energy webs ensnare him around the neck, and looked behind him to see Nidhiki scuttling along, using him almost like a sled dog, to pull him along faster. Krekka could move FAST when the mood took him, after all.

The white Hunter took the time to feel righteous fury at being treated like a pet, but continued running as fast as he could, still being chased by a herd of rampaging Kikanalo.

Several kios away, in Po-Metru's stone quarries, a Matoran wearing a Komau raised his head and watched the cloud of dust on the plains that was obviously a herd of stampeding Kikanalo. "Hey, Ahkmou, something's upset the Kikanalo. Wonder what, eh?"

"Dunno," Ahkmou replied, not looking up from his sculpture. "Probably just some idiot who doesn't have the sense t'stay away from 'em durin' mating season."

"Yeah," Onewa agreed, and he too concentrated on his carving without another thought to the herd of Kikanalo or their victims.

Several hours later, a very exhausted Krekka collapsed near the border of Onu-Metru, panting and wheezing for breath. The Kikanalo, thank whatever gods may be up there, were at least a hundred kios back, having lost interest in their rather elusive prey long ago.

He gave a yelp of pain as Nidhiki yanked him up by his makeshift leash. "Hey, what's that for?"

Nidhiki treated him to a glare. "Since you can't be trusted to have enough common sense on your own, you will stay on this leash until you CAN be trusted." He gave the leash a rather hard jerk. "Now come ON!"

Several Dark Hunters paused to gawk and laugh at the sight of the former Air Toa leading the former gladiator down the hallways of Odina's fortress to make their report, the latter being on a glowing green leash and the former holding it in one lethal claw.

Even the Shadowed One could not resist a snort, although he retained his dignity by disguising it with a cough. Lariska had no such qualms. She laughed and laughed and laughed.

Nidhiki sighed. "There's a reason behind this, sir, I swear there is..."

"Then let's hear it." the Shadowed One said, leaning on his elbows on his desk, peering at him with bright, amused eyes. "I want to know how one of my best agents came to be in possession of such a wonderful...pet."

What was even worse was that it was that same exact herd of Kikanalo that would cause Nidhiki and Krekka trouble when they faced the Toa Metru several years later.

X x X x X

**AN: Thanks to Nobility for the prompt! I hope you liked it!**

**Anyway - what best to bother these two than Kikanalo? From their experience concerning those Rahi in **_**Legends of Metru Nui**_**, I gathered they wouldn't be too fond of them. Wahahaha.**

**Review and request, please!**


	3. Tahu and Kopaka, You Got Mail 1

**Whoa...I think we went overboard with this one XD**

**Number Three**

**Title: You've Got Mail**

**Requested by: My sister Kristine**

**Pairing: Squick of Kopaka/Shay (Shay (c) **_**Shay Moonsilk**_** - hope you don't mind that we used her XD).**

**Prompt: "Spaceballz", "blowing stuff up", and "eyebrows"**

**Characters: Tahu, Kopaka**

**Warning: AU, crack, e-mails, and co-writing with**_** Zanda Waffle 07**_**. Can you guess which of us wrote who?**

X x X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Homework

Tahu, it's Kopaka.

I was absent during third period today. By any chance, did you write down the homework?

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: What's that?

I know it's you, O Lord of the Swooning Fangirls. Who ELSE would have that same username I've been writing to for the past ten years?! Taka? Or maybe Tuyet?

...you know, if it weren't for the fact that she's a total bitch and wants Lhikan's ass, I'd say she was hot.

So, what were you absent for? Making out with what's-her-face again? -wink wink nudge nudge-

Uh, third period. That's Mr. Kualus...yeah! It's pg. 234 (1-20). And then the essay question on the similarity of the echolocation of bats and dolphins.

...wait, dolphins use echolocation? I didn't even really look at that till right now.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Have you lost your mind?!

Well, seeing as how you forgot the last three times I wrote you, I felt it necessary to remind you.

For your information, I was NOT making out with Shay. I was explaining why Principal Mata Nui no longer has a suede leather chair in his office. And explaining why there's A HUGE BURN MARK WHERE SAID CHAIR USED TO BE.

GEE, I WONDER WHERE IT WENT, TAHU.

Alright, thank you.

No SHIT dolphins use echolocation. The squeaking they make when they go hunting should be enough to tell you that. Then again, thinking was never your strong point.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: No, but I did hang out with Pohatu and Lewa for like three hours

HA! For once, it wasn't me! That was Vakama and Onewa that pulled that one off! Well, mostly Onewa, but Vakama supplied the matches. So your accusations are completely unfounded this time.

Hey, that class is boring! I hate biology...all Mr. Kualus ever does is yammer on about birds and flying things and their MAGICAL properties and their languages and stuff. Ya know, it's pretty lucky that he doesn't try talking like them too, huh?

We need to watch Spaceballz this weekend. I'll get Vakama to make that popcorn you love so much and we will LAUGH OUR ASSES OFF!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: That explains it.

And where did Vakama get the matches? From your stash, no doubt. How many matches have you collected so far? Last I saw you had a couple Chinese firecrackers in there. And technically, they're not completely unfounded because those were probably YOUR matches they used. I blame you for my after school detention, in any case.

Biology is not boring, you just have a short attention span.

I'm not watching Spaceballz, that movie was so bad. If we watch anything, it has to be something good. Compared to Star Wars, Spaceballz is crap. I still expect that popcorn, in any case.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: It usually does, doesn't it?

...hey. SOME OF MY MATCHES ARE MISSING! Excuse me while I go interrogate my DEAR brother of their whereabouts.

OK, that was the worst interrogation ever. I think he broke my nose when I tackled him. That coward...he dodged and then threw me into the wall. My nose is bleeding, in any case.

Biology is SO boring! Just because I'm not a total nerd like SOME people I know doesn't mean I have to find it interesting!

What?! How can you not like Spaceballz?! That was the best parody ever! Just for that, I'm going to have Vakama put caramel on your popcorn.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Pohatu and Lewa are the cause of 45 percent of problems in our school.

No, Tahu, you just suck at berserker charges. Remember when you tried to do that to Krekka? Dude, and he's the QUARTERBACK. Why you would try to tackle a 250 pound quarterback is way over my head. Krekka probably would have eaten you if Nidhiki hadn't been there to make him put you down.

And you're just jealous because I don't have to copy off Onua to get good grades on the tests. I'm sure you'd copy off me too, but I'm too far away for you to do so.

I don't like Spaceballz because it is an insult to filmdom. And don't you dare put caramel on that popcorn. If Vakama didn't break your nose, then I will if you do.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: The other 55 being Matau, right?

That douche was asking for it, calling me a "freshie"! I am a FRESHMAN. Not a FRESHIE. Freshie sounds gay. And anyway, I didn't need Nidhiki's help, but ever since he was made Student Body VICE President, he's been trying to show Lhikan up for beating him in the election. He'll do anything to look good, and that's ALL he was trying to do there! Not save my ass (which, by the way, didn't need saving).

It's not cheating, it's getting help by unconventional means. And you know Onua doesn't care anyway. No I wouldn't copy off you because you'd probably mark all the wrong answers and then when I'd copied them, you'd secretly go back and change them to the RIGHT answers so that I'd fail.

Fine, fine, we'll watch Star Wars since that's all you ever watch these days. And FINE, I'll have him drown it in butter. You're like a pregnant woman with the amount of pleasure foods you have.

...you, uh, aren't pregnant, are you?

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Don't forget about Onewa.

He's a senior, he gets to do what he wants. You, being a mere freshman, do not.

I would not do that. I'm not THAT mean, and anyway, scantrons don't handle eraser marks very well. It would be a hazard to my grade. I'd just tell on you.

I watch Star Wars because it's a good series.

And if you ever bring that up again, I'll rip out your eyebrows and make you eat them.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: I didn't. Onewa simply refuses to be forgotten. Every once in a while he'll blow up a school toilet to make sure he's not forgotten.

That's discrimination! We should get equal treatment! I really wish I had run for freshman president now. Then I'd be able to do something about it! And then Krekka would pay. I think I'll bribe Taka into suspending his football license for the season or taking away his football or something.

OK, I already knew you were a stingy bastard, but that's COLD, Kopaka. And me, your best friend who's never done you wrong. -sniff-

Mm, eyebrows!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: I was SITTING on one of those toilets when it blew up.

Taka's too scared of Krekka to do anything but wet his pants when he's so much as mentioned. You'll have to ask Principal Mata Nui, but I doubt Vice Principal Makuta would process your request for an audience with the Great One. You know how he hates you after you set his tie on fire during assembly when we visited the school as eighth graders. Or ask Lhikan. He's nice and he likes you, so he might do it. I still doubt it though.

Never done me wrong, you say? What about all the times when I've gone hungry because you stole my lunch money to buy Rahkshi cards with, eh? Or how about the time we had to do the lab with the parrot and you stuck it down my shirt? I had beak and claw marks on my chest for weeks.

...that's disgusting.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: That's nasty.

He was asking for it, acting all high and mighty. Plus, his speech was so boring too. So I decided to spare our poor brains and make it more interesting. A whole bunch of people woke up when I did, remember? Further proof of my greatness.

You know you don't like the school lunches anyway. They're all smothered in grease. But wait, you like grease, you and your pregnant woman syndrome. And you totally deserved the parrot thing. Plus, it liked you. I was just giving you a chance to bond with it! Think of a peck like a kiss and a scratch like a love pat.

It is, isn't it?

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Yes it was.

You almost didn't get accepted into this school for that, if I remember rightly. If it hadn't been for the fact that Mata Nui thought you were funny, you wouldn't have been.

FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M A BOY AND I'M NOT GAY! AND EVEN IF I _WAS_ GAY, I STILL COULDN'T GET PREGNANT! It's against the laws of nature; men do not have ovaries.

You're even nastier than ANY eyebrow could ever be. Even one infested with lice.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: You probably enjoyed it.

Mata Nui never gets ANYONE in trouble. Once, Matau was playing with that bigass globe in Ms. Roodaka's room, and it rolled off the pedestal thing it was on and trampled a bunch of people before Lhikan and Nidhiki pulled a total superhero maneuver (you know, I think they've been practicing, saving of damsels and such) and used the POWER OF TEAMWORK to stop it from getting into the parking lot. And when Ms. Roodaka brought Matau to Mata Nui's office and told him what happened (making it sound a lot worse than it actually was), Mata Nui just smiled and told him to be more careful when playing with 200 pound objects of mass destruction.

You're not gay?! When did THIS happen?!

--Tahu

X x X x X

**AN: That was co-written with my brother **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** for our older sister Kristine, who saw this fic and wanted a request **_**AS SOON AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE**_**. So I obliged, and Zander pitched in oh-so-kindly. So, which of us was writing who? We actually have similar writing styles, I think...**

**So, anymore requests you might have? I've got two from **_**Tollian**_**, and one from **_**Sylla Shadowfrost**_**, and I can take more. C'mon! I know you're all dying to request pairings :3**

**Review and request please!**


	4. Lhikan and Tuyet, Endless Night

**Number Four**

**Title: Endless Night**

**Requested by: Myself**

**Pairing: Lhikan/Tuyet**

**Prompt: "Obsession" and "passion"**

**Characters: Lhikan, Tuyet, Kaylani**

**Warning: Confusion, angst, and nothing-makes-sense-ness.**

X x X x X

_(you come to me with scars on your wrist)_

Lhikan could never understand why Tuyet was the way she was. She was certainly very beautiful, but it was almost disconcerting. Whereas Kaylani, the other Toa of Water on their team, was merely very pretty, Tuyet was deep rose beautiful in a much more sinister way than Kaylani's bright daisy looks.

_(you tell me this will be the last night)_

He had always thought she was beautiful, but never was quite entranced enough to fall in love with her. There was just something wrong with her.Perhaps it was the way her eyes darted back and forth constantly, as though awaiting an attack. Perhaps it was the way her mouth tightened whenever she laid eyes upon Kaylani, the OTHER Toa Mahi of Water. Or perhaps it was the way she looked at him, Lhikan.

_(feeling like this.)_

She looked at him like he was as beautiful as she herself was. Almost hungrily. Passionately. Like she wanted to eat him.

The intensity of her gaze upon him never failed to scare him. It was almost as if she could see into his heart and wasn't pleased with what she saw.

Perhaps that was why she used the Nui Stone. To make him notice her. She was always trying to gain his attention in some way, whether it was through her intense gaze or through the over-exaggerated gracefulness of her movements in battle.

One night, she'd come to him as he was about to go to bed. The door to his room was open, and she simply walked through it, grabbing him by the shoulders. Her face was streaked with tears, and her eyes stared crazily at him. And then, before he could ask what was wrong, Tuyet was simply kissing him, devouring him without a word.

He found himself backed up against the wall as she eagerly explored his mouth, wanting more. To his shame, he let her for quite some time, too shocked to stop her. By the time he mustered up what was left of his senses to push her off, her eyes had gone hazy and the tears had doubled. They only increased when she hit the floor after his frenzied shove.

And Lhikan sighed. "Tuyet, go home. You need to rest."

She simply left, leaving a puddle of tears on his floor. He stared at it uncomfortably for a moment before using his fire powers to dry it and went to bed, his lips still tingling from how forcefully she had kissed him. The taste of her was still in his mouth, musky and harsh but oddly...sweet. Beautiful, but disconcerting.

And the Nui Stone.

It was an artifact from her home island, Tuyet said. The Dark Hunters were after it, and that's why the Matoran were dying. That's why they were being killed, for this artifact that she didn't even have.

Nidhiki was smart enough to realize that from the Hunters' surprised looks when he'd gloated that they actually had no idea why the Matoran were dying either. That left only one thing, one thing that Lhikan wished he didn't have to do.

Even as a monster, Tuyet was still beautiful. Her eyes still blazed at him in that passionate way they always had, but this time, they were even crazier than the night she'd come into his home and stolen a kiss from him.

When she was gone, he realized it was like a cloud had lifted. Things somehow seemed brighter. Without her gaze on him at all times, her breathing harsh and ragged whenever he came near her, it was like a great weight had come off of his chest. He'd been hurting her, and he'd regretted it all along, he realized.

Her eyes haunted his dreams for years after that.

He couldn't be around Kaylani without remembering Tuyet. Kaylani, who'd loved him since day one, as had Tuyet.

Kaylani, the second Toa of Water to die because of his mistakes.

Lhikan looked at her and sometimes, for a split second he saw not Kaylani's Mask of Water Breathing, but Tuyet's Mask of Intangibility. Sometimes, instead of Kaylani's blue eyes, he saw Tuyet's orange ones, still tearing into him like a ravenous ash bear.

_(your parents say everything is your fault)_

He was not at all surprised to hear, one day, that Tuyet was dead, although whether from trying to escape her punishment or from taking back her true self as a hero, he would never know.

_(but they don't know you like I know you)_

The eyes in his dreams closed, and never opened again.

_(they don't know you at all.)_

X x X x X

**AN: Lhikan/Tuyet has started to interest me for some reason, although I still support him with my own character Kaylani. Lol. Tuyet was only authenticated a couple months ago, anyway, and as far as we know, she had no romance in her life. But she's certainly creepy enough to be obsessed with someone like this though.**

**Coming up next: Whenua, Nuju, and an argument for **_**Tollian**_**! XD**

**Review and request, please!**


	5. Nuju and Whenua, Feet

**Number Five**

**Title: Feet**

**Requested by: Tollian**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Connection"**

**Characters: Whenua, Nuju, Onewa, Matau**

**Warning: Crack, stupid arguments, and dismemberment.**

X x X x X

Glare.

Glare.

Glare.

And hey look, another glare.

And another, and yet another.

A glaring contest was taking place, and the contestants were none other than the resident Toa Metru of Ice and Earth. Nuju and Whenua. They were always arguing about SOMETHING, it had to be admitted. Whether it was how many days were left until the next celebrated holiday, or the past's merits over the future's, SOMETHING was always being debated about when those two were brought together.

Still, Onewa found it a little immature to have them fighting over whose feet were bigger.

"C'mon guys," he sighed. "Your feet are exactly tha same size. Just shut up already."

Nuju turned his frosty glare upon him, causing him to gulp and dive under the table in case the Ice Toa should suddenly decide to break and attack like a rabid Rahi. It had happened once before, and Onewa still woke up screaming some nights about it, much to the annoyance of the neighbors.

"As I was saying before being so RUDELY interrupted," the scholar said, looking back at Whenua, "yours are clearly bigger than mine. Admit it."

"Yours are bigger," Whenua growled. "By at LEAST five inches."

"That's a gross exaggeration, unless you are substituting yourself for me and vice versa."

Onewa stuck his head out from his safe table haven and peered at the foot each one was sticking out in order to show the other just how wrong he was. It had to be admitted. Their feet were exactly the same size, but he didn't dare state this again. If he did, Nuju just might actually attack him this time.

"You know who has really big feet?" Onewa asked suddenly, catching both their attentions. "Vakama. Vakama has big feet. It's no wonder he's such a klutz, with feet like that."

"Mine are smaller," both Nuju and Whenua said in unison, and then glared at each other again, making Onewa give a small meep and disappear under the table once more.

"Ya know, it's not so bad having big feet," he went on, voice slightly muffled from being under the table, "After all, chicks seem to dig that. I mean, look at Vakama. He trips, and _BOOM_! Not just Nokama, but practically the whole of Ga-Metru wants to help him up." He paused, then muttered darkly, "Lucky son of a Kavinika..."

Girls were a taboo topic with the two resident "nerds" of the Toa Metru, and today was no exception. Nokama was just about the only girl either of them were even remotely comfortable around, and that was because they were forced to be on the same team as her. The former teacher could have a distinct cheerfulness that defeated both scholar and archivist sometimes.

"Regardless, you feet are still bigger," Nuju told Whenua, and the Earth Toa sprang up with a growl of anger. "They are not! Just because you don't want to admit that I'm right doesn't mean you have to deny the obvious--"

"I am NOT denying the obvious! I am STATING the obvious by telling you that your feet are CLEARLY bigger than mine! It's YOU who are denying the blatant truth that is just screaming to be realized, you ignoramus!"

"Oh, now that does it, you--"

Once again, they were interrupted by Onewa's smart mouth.

"Actually," the Stone Toa said, "the one with the smallest feet on the Toa Metru is Matau."

A common enemy had been realized, and Matau would later shriek in rage, inquiring just WHAT had possessed his two teammates to appear out of nowhere and detach his feet, leaving him to lay there in the streets until someone took pity on him and stashed him in the back of a transport that smelled very vilely of Mukau manure.

X x X x X

**AN: Um...YES. Big feet mean big hands, amirite? Somehow, I don't doubt that Matau has small feet, though. Poor Matau. Now the girls will never like you, for your feet are too small to trip over (unlike a certain Fire Toa who could probably trip while lying down). Nah, just kidding, Matau's got hoes like a fireman.**

**So that was for **_**Tollian**_**! There's one more for her coming up, and then it's on to **_**Sylla**__**Shadowfrost's**_**, then **_**Nobility's**_**. And then one for myself, and a few for **_**Arya**_**. Whoa. That's a lot.**

**Review and request please!**


	6. Toa Metru, Save the Oreo!

**Number Six**

**Title: Save the Oreo!**

**Requested by: Tollian**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Oreo cookie"...XD**

**Characters: Toa Metru**

**Warning: Possible Oreo abuse, AHOY!**

X x X x X

Of all the foods on the planet, the one that Onewa loved the most was the food of the Great Beings that was known as Oreos. Screw ambrosia, Oreos were the way to go. He munched on a few as he waited for the meeting to commence, wondering when his teammates would get there.

As he expected, Vakama and Nokama strolled in together, talking and laughing. They both greeted him in turn and then returned to their conversation about the strange things they'd each seen the Vahki of their respective Metrus do.

Next to come in was Whenua, reading from a huge book that read "Evolution of Tunnelers" on the cover, and shortly after him came Nuju, polishing the lens of his pocket telescope as he did so.

It took another hour for Matau to arrive though, and when he did, Onewa wished that he hadn't.

Matau, as is well known, was very fond of sweet foods, Oreos being one of them. And Onewa just happened to have a very big supply. Now, most of the box were gone, but there was just one left. The Stone Toa decided to leave it for now, a decision he would later regret.

When the Air Toa's eyes saw the remaining Oreo, he immediately reached for it. Onewa snapped, tackling him in the middle of Vakama's speech about something or other and interrupting the meeting in a very undignified way.

"SAVE THE OREO!" Matau yelled as the box went flying.

Vakama, shocked into doing the first thing demanded of him, attempted to do just that, but Whenua got in his way by choosing to wake up from his impromptu nap and stretching out at just the moment that the Fire Toa attempted to rescue the black and white cookie. Vakama's foot caught on his, and down he went, straight on top of the wrestling Onewa and Matau.

Just in time, Nuju's hand snapped out, catching the Oreo and holding it up to his eyes with an odd, scrutinizing look.

"...please tell me you know what that is," Whenua said.

Nuju shook his head. "Nope. Does it taste good?"

"THAT'S MINE!" Onewa screamed from under the loudly yelping and trying to disentangle himself Vakama. "DON'T YOU DARE EAT IT!" To emphasize his point, he jabbed his elbow into Matau's stomach, making him gasp for air and mercy.

Nuju sniffed at him and made to drop it again. Before he could, however, Whenua had pushed him from behind, and he joined the undignified heap on the floor, all shouting and pushing and yelling and shoving for dominance.

Nokama watched all this, giggling uncontrollably. Really, the male Toa Metru could be like Hapaka puppies sometimes, with the way they carried on about the silliest things. It was just an Oreo, after all.

Speaking of which, she was hungry.

Nuju's hand with the Oreo still clutched firmly in it, evading Onewa's frenzied swipes, soon found itself Oreo-less as Nokama plucked it easily away. She studied it for a moment before making up her mind about what to do. If there was any chance of the boys not fighting anymore, then she had to get rid of the cause of their quarrel, right?

Onewa let out an agonized howl as his beloved treat vanished into Nokama's mouth, and it only got louder as she sighed contentedly and smiled at him. "That actually does taste good," she said cheerfully, leaning back in her chair.

Whenua let out a snort of laughter at the look on the Stone Toa's face.

"Sucks to be you, carver," he grinned.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" With aforementioned war cry, Onewa somehow managed to throw Matau, Vakama, and Nuju off of himself and tackled him, the chair the Earth Toa had been sitting in flying across the room to hit the wall and break neatly down the wooden seat.

The Matoran waiting outside of the meeting room all shot the door of said room odd looks from the strange noises coming from within, shrieks of rage and a loud scream of, "OWWWWWW MY LIVER AND KIDNEYS!"

This was drowned out by the frantic roaring of, "MY OREO! SHE STOLE MY OREO! SHE _ATE_ MY OREO! _MY_ OREO! MY _LAST _OREO!"

"I KNOW!" Whenua bawled back, "SO WHY ARE YOU ATTACKING _ME_?!"

Matau whimpered and hid behind Nuju, who shot him a glare. "...Mata Nui, is that his _spleen_?!"

X x X x X

**AN: All that over an Oreo! o-o; This was actually based upon a true story that happened in the boys' common room of my old boarding school, except for the fact that in that one, about twenty two people were participating, and in the end, the Oreo ended up getting crushed to powder and NO ONE got to eat it XD**

**Next up: Nidhiki/Tuyet for **_**Nobility**_**! And then some other stuff for other people.**

**Review and request, please!**


	7. Nidhiki and Tuyet, All The Same

**Number Seven**

**Title: All The Same**

**Requested by: Nobility**

**Pairing: Nidhiki/Tuyet**

**Prompt: "Similarities"**

**Characters: Nidhiki, Tuyet**

**Warning: Possible spoilers, angst, more confusion.**

X x X x X

They were similar, and yet not.

He betrayed the Toa Mahi to save himself from death by way of Lariska's throwing knives. She betrayed them out of greed.

He spent the rest of his life as a mutated insectoid monster, with the only semblance of his old self as a Toa in the way he refused to take the life of any who could not fight back. She wasted the last of her days at the bottom of the ocean, the only semblance of her old self as a Toa being the way she looked.

He was devoured by the Makuta of Metru Nui and his power was absorbed into the dark entity's body. She was killed when the Pit flooded, although whether by trying to escape or by trying to keep the rest of the inmates in no one would ever know.

He hated the beings he was forced to work with, slimy, bitter, disgusting things they were. She got along relatively well with the occupants of the Pit, except when the feral rage would overtake her and she destroyed anything and anyone foolish enough to go near her.

He came from an island largely modeled as a military base. She hailed from a place of mystery that not even the inhabitants could truly tell much about.

He annoyed her. She disturbed him.

When he was made into a Dark Hunter, he bore it, though not with pride. When she was banished to the Pit, she cried for days.

He had had a hand in her downfall. She had nothing to do with his whatsoever.

His name was Nidhiki. Hers was Tuyet.

X x X

They both betrayed their team.

They both spent their last hours in complete and utter fear.

They both died far away from anything that could ever make them happy.

They both had others that suffered with them, though nowhere near as hard as they did.

They both came from destroyed and desolate islands.

They both could not understand each other.

They both were something they had never wanted to be when they died.

They both fell, and their light faded.

They both were Toa.

X x X

Sometimes, Nidhiki thought about Tuyet in ways he wished he did not. He had never been in love before, and he doubted that this was it either, but strangely, Tuyet would not leave his mind.

He was dying right now, being devoured by the Makuta, and he kept seeing her face when she had been consumed by the power of the Nui Stone. The same old Tuyet, who would very politely snub him and oh-so-subtly mock him. It was enough to allow him a short, breathless laugh.

The jaws came down, and she was in his thoughts no more.

X x X

When the pillar of rock came smashing down upon her, Tuyet screamed in pain. The base had been blown apart, although from a blast of a launcher or from the water that was cascading into the Pit where she lived, she didn't know. It hurt.

Her back was broken. The shards of the Nui Stone embedded in her armor glowed feebly, sustaining her. But even they could not save her now.

She closed her eyes, biting her lip to keep from screaming again.

"_Hey, dear, I'm home!"_

That incorrigible idiot. Saying that, joking around when she was about to kill him...it had jinxed her, she was certain. He distracted her long enough to allow Lhikan to bring her down, that insect...

She would never admit that it still hurt her more than anything, coming from the one being whose words she remembered every day, regardless.

He deserved to die, she thought, and slipped away.

X x X x X

**AN: Yes. Nidhiki/Tuyet. D: Sorry if this wasn't what you had in mind, but I really dunno what to do about this pairing...it said in **_**The Many Deaths of Toa Tuyet**_** that she was always being mean to Nidhiki in a way that denoted she thought she was higher than him, but then there was his line that made me laugh...yeah, that **_**"Hey, dear, I'm home!"**_** line. That was so Air Toa-ish of him.**

**But yeah, I hope you enjoyed it!**

**Next up: for **_**Arya**_**, our two characters, Shruikan and Nina! (and yes, I did name my character for the dragon from **_**Eragon**_** because it's an awesome name and I love it.)**

**Review and request, please!**


	8. Shruikan and Nina, You Know You Want Me

**Number Eight**

**Title: You Know You Want Me #1**

**Requested by: Arya**

**Pairing: Shruikan/Nina (my OC and her OC)**

**Prompt: "Straight A's", "senior class president", and "wanting what you can't have"**

**Characters: Shruikan, Nina, Lhikan, Terios, Teeboe**

**Warning: AU, crack, some perversion, and Shruikan's mouth XD Not to mention some REALLY lame puns.**

X x X x X

There was a loud crash, and everybody winced. And then they all craned their necks to look at the cause of the crash, and they laughed. Poor Nina, once again being picked on, but it was just so damn funny they couldn't help but join in.

Nina looked up and glared, then pushed her black hair out of her face, picking herself and her backpack up with as much dignity as possible. But it was futile, as this just made everyone stare and laugh more.

"I think I saw her panties..." someone muttered, and Nina immediately grabbed the hem of her skirt, cheeks flaming. She willed herself not to look anyone in the eye, knowing it would just make things worse for herself.

Someone pushed her from behind, and she went down again in an even bigger clatter than before. Laughter erupted from the amassed students once again. This time, instead of getting back up, she merely grabbed her backpack and hugged it to her chest, willing herself not to start crying. She squeezed her eyes shut in a further attempt to stop the tears.

Why, why, WHY did they pick on her so much? It hurt, but no one seemed to care, or even to notice. She sniffed, feeling her tears beginning to break out.

And then, a hand was thrust into her face, startling her. The hand was attached to a very tan arm, which in turn was attached to the body of someone she knew by sight only.

Shruikan, senior class president and the one who everyone seemed to worship for some ungodly reason.

He smiled down at her, gesturing for her to take his hand. She did so after a moment of hesitation and allowed him to pull her to her feet. Once she was righted and her backpack was back in place, Shruikan gave her a pat on the head, making her twitch, and turned his attention to the crowd of sheepish looking students.

"Alright, listen up!" he yelled, "Enough is ENOUGH, yeah?"

Nina blushed. Was he actually defending her? What a sweet, nice, caring...

"She can't help that she's a nerd, so let's just get over the fact that she's not 'cool' or 'hip' or whatever and GET ON WITH OUR LIVES!" The violet-haired boy adjusted the black bandana on his head and glared. "DISMISSED!"

The students scattered.

Nina twitched again. Take back every nice thing she'd thought of him so far! But then again, he HAD defended her, and usually when Shruikan said something, the vast majority of the population did what he said. Hm.

"Heh, sorry 'bout that," he grinned, looking at her. "High school's a bitch sometimes, huh?"

She nodded, staying silent.

"Yeah well, if you ever need anything, then just come find me, yeah? I'll handle whatever it is!" He turned to leave, then turned back for a split second and said, "By the way, you have nice underwear!" and then he was gone, leaving Nina to practically die of mortification.

X x X

"You seem happy," Terios said nonchalantly a few minutes later. Shruikan nodded and bit out of a sandwich, smiling dreamily. Terios twitched lightly as some bits and pieces of the sandwich dripped onto the table. OK, he already knew Shruikan was a messy eater, but this was not good. His friend hadn't even noticed the fact that the vast majority of his sandwich was on the table and not in his stomach.

"May I inquire as to why?" he asked to distract himself.

Shruikan grinned, but before he could open his mouth, someone with a bright shock of orange hair charged up to him. "Little bro!" he cried, pulling the someone down into a spine crushing hug.

Lhikan coughed and pushed his brother off of himself. "I saw what you did for that girl earlier," he said. "How come?"

"Would you prefer it be YOU getting pushed all the place and accidentally flashing your underwear at the peanut gallery?" Shruikan asked.

Terios lifted a brow. "Playing knight-in-shining-armor, are we?"

"Just provin' that chivalry isn't dead," the violet-haired boy shrugged. "Besides, she was cute." He stopped, eyes fixing on another familiar form standing impatiently in the lunch line. He grinned, looking at his dripping sandwich and then back at the person in the lunch line. "Hey, ten bucks says I can nail Teeboe from here!"

"Don't--" Lhikan tried to say, but too late. His older brother had already thrown the missile, and it landed with a nice SMACK and a SPLATTER all over the chest of one bad-tempered black-haired senior by the name of Teeboe.

Slowly, Teeboe turned his head, wiping the mustard and mayonnaise from his face, the sandwich falling with a splat to the ground. His green eyes flashed.

"SHRUIKAN!" he roared.

By that time, though, Shruikan, Terios, and Lhikan had all vanished.

X x X

The bell rang, and Nina breathed a sigh of relief. School was finally over! It had been extended due to some incident during lunch involving a sandwich and Teeboe, and Teeboe had apparently torn the cafeteria apart searching for the culprit. She shook her head, chuckling. Only a complete IDIOT would dare to do something like that.

She walked past a clump of bushes outside the school and stopped. Was someone talking to those bushes? She chanced a peek inside and blinked.

Lhikan grinned up at her and waved. "Oh, hey! Don't mind me, I'm just bored and this seems like the best place to hide - er, sit!"

One of the bushes rustled, and someone whispered, "Hey, it's the underwear girl!"

"SHH!" hissed the bush right next to it.

The orange-haired junior gave the bushes a clout, snapping, "Shut up!"

"There's someone in there, isn't it?" Nina asked, ignoring the first comment.

Lhikan glanced to the side guiltily, then nodded.

"What are they doing in the bushes?" she continued.

"Waiting to amBUSH somebody!" one of them answered, followed by an agonized groan from the other one. "Oh my God...that was so bad..."

Shruikan popped his head out and grinned. "Ambushes aside, we're hiding. Just in case Teeboe decides to destroy my future children, y'see."

Lhikan snorted. "You shouldn't have thrown that sandwich at him then."

His older brother scoffed. "He was askin' for it!"

"How so?" Terios asked, peeking out of his bush nervously. "By standing and quietly getting his lunch?"

"You always have to rain on my parade, Terios, you know that?"

"It's what I'm here for," the blonde answered.

Shruikan chose to ignore this, and instead turned his gaze to Nina. "So, what's your name? I can't just keep calling you 'Underwear Girl'."

Nina felt herself turning bright red again, but answered, "My name's Nina, and I really WOULD appreciate it if you never said that again."

"Fair enough," he grinned. He got up, brushing debris from the bush off of himself and held out a hand again. "Nice to finally be introduced." After a moment's hesitation, Nina took it.

As she turned to walk home, Shruikan called after her, "Hey, wanna go to the movies with us tomorrow? Be there at seven, yeah?"

She threw a look over her shoulder. "Uh, sure. I'll be there!"

He grinned at her, and she repressed another blush. "Awesome! We're gonna see Le-Metru Man, so don't be late!"

X x X

_Entry Number 45 in Nina's Journal:_

_That was quite the encounter today...as usual I got pushed down in the courtyard during lunch, but guess who saved me? Shruikan, you know, the senior class president that everybody loves for some reason? Yeah, him. I know it's weird that HE of all people came to my rescue, but he did. And then (after a few comments about my underwear), he asked me to go to the movies with him and his friends tomorrow._

_OH MATA NUI. Did I just get asked out?!_

X x X x X

**AN: This isn't over. But since this story would talk longer to write, I have to make it more than just a oneshot. I don't mind, I have some things I still want to do with this.**

**OMG DID YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENED ON BZPOWER LAST NIGHT?! I'm scarred for life. Someone went around posting these DISGUSTING images, like stuff you'd see only on the filthiest of websites, and I received ELEVEN PMs with said image in it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I almost cried when I saw it. But it turned out it wasn't a personal attack, and something that everyone had to deal with, and plus, the mods deleted all the bad topics and pretty much all the evidence that it ever happened so we're all good. But hot DAMN that was disgusting! And that's a website that little kids go on! Who would do that?! Bastards. At least I didn't throw up, like SOMEONE I know. -glances at **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_**- And then **_**I**_** had to clean it up! Never again!**

**Next: Matau/Arya, again for **_**Arya**_**! XD**

**Review and request, please!**


	9. Tahu, Kopaka, and Pohatu, U Got Mail 2

**Number Nine**

**Title: You've Got Mail #2**

**Requested by: Myself!**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "MOAR EMAILS PLZ" and "Megatron vs. Bumblebee"**

**Characters: Tahu, Kopaka, Pohatu**

**Warning: AU, language, stupidity, co-writing with **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_**, and **_**Transformers**_** references.**

X x X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: I hope you die

Mata Nui is reminiscent of God. People do not get in trouble in his world. They merely get GENTLY scolded.

DOES HAVING A FUCKING GIRLFRIEND MEAN NOTHING TO YOU?!

--Kopaka

PS: We have to go see Transformers tonight. I heard it's good. Bring money because I'm not paying for you again.

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Yeah well, same to you, bub

Sorry that you ended up paying for me again, Frosty - I'm kinda broke right now. And no, I can't pay you back. XD

I always thought it was just an excuse to throw people off the scent!

Oh, and, Bumblebee rocks.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Screw you.

Hell no, Megatron OWNS that Camaro!

I'm not gay, asswipe!

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: DON'T YOU COME NEAR ME!

Oh no betch.

BUMBLEBEE ALL THE WAY!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: I don't intend to

Hell no! Megatron all the way!

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: You're just saying that

BUMBLEBEE CAN KICK MEGATRON'S ASS!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Do I ever look like I'm kidding?

Megatron's the Decepticon LEADER for a REASON. He could kick all those other pansies' asses just by LOOKING at them.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: That's open to debate

True, but BUMBLEBEE is freakin adorable (Gali said to tell you that).

And knocked MEGATRON to his ASS!

And BUMBLEBEE had no LEGS!

HELL YEAH!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: --DEATH GLARE--

Yes, the bad guys always lose.

But I'm still not admitting defeat.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721, KingofIce

From: DesertLove64

Subject: You Fucking Idiots

Shia LaBeouf was the best Transformer ever, end of argument!!!

--Pohatu

X x X x X

**AN: YES. THIS ONE **_**WAS**_** SUPPOSED TO BE ANOTHER ONE FOR **_**ARYA**_**, BUT I WAS BORED AND LONELY AND SEE WHAT IT MADE ME DO! And um, my friends and I were talking about **_**Transformers**_**, and this was the result. Yes.**

**Once again, I was aided by **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_**. Can you tell who wrote who? I wrote Pohatu, by the way, which was easy. But who wrote Tahu? And who wrote Kopaka? XD**

**Looks like Pohatu, sure showed them, eh?**

**Review and request, please!**


	10. Matau and Arya, Henpecked

**Number Ten**

**Title: Henpecked**

**Requested by: Arya**

**Pairing: Matau/Arya (her OC)**

**Prompt: "16 and pregnant"**

**Characters: Matau, Arya**

**Warning: Chocolate, pregnant-woman-syndrome, and a severely henpecked Matau Metru.**

X x X x X

"MATAU METRU!"

I winced and valiantly ducked behind the chair I was been sitting in a moment earlier. _What'd I do NOW?!_

"_MATAU METRU, YOU'D BETTER GET IN HERE __**NOW**__!"_ the person in the other room screamed, and I knew she meant it. Picking myself up, I walked as slowly as possible towards the source of my fear.

Arya, my...wife? I DID get her pregnant, after all, but we weren't exactly, ahaha, married. Whoops. But hey, she was hot at least. Shut up, I'm perfectly justified. Who wouldn't oblige a pretty girl in need? I obliged her, and now look where it's gotten me.

ARGH.

"Yes?" I sang, poking my head in through the door.

Arya glared at me from where she sat on her bed, and I gulped, preparing for some serious evasive action. If it came down to it, of course...GULP. "Don't just STAND there, I need help!" she said.

I immediately felt concerned. "What do you need help with?"

She turned to me, her mood suddenly changing. "We're all out of chocolate!" she cried, and I was shocked to see tears beading in her eyes. I couldn't help but feel just a bit put-upon.

"But dear, I just got some last night--"

"Well we're out now!" she snapped, and I shut my mouth. "And I need MORE! Matau, pllllleeeeeeeaaaasssseeeeee...?"

I sighed and gave her what I hoped was a reassuring hug. Boy, I can't WAIT for those kids to come out of her so my life can go back to normal...no wait, then there'll be crying babies, pooping babies, eating babies, sleeping babies, FREAKING BABIES. And I won't get a good night's sleep again, EVER.

But nonetheless, I obliged Arya once again. "I'll go out and get some, alright? Just sit tight for a bit and I'll be back before you know it." Just because I could, I gave her a cheeky grin.

Arya giggled and pulled me down, giving me a kiss. Man, if that's what I get for promising chocolate and smiling at her, I think I'll have to do it more often. WOOF.

"OK, so hurry up!" she yells.

I sighed. "Yes, dear."

X x X

"What are you thinking?" Arya asked me through a mouthful of chocolate.

(Just in case, I bought about eighty three thousand packs of it, because I know we're gonna run out again and I want to prevent that as long as possible. Pregnant women are SCARY!)

I jumped; her question startled me out of my thoughts. "Oh, uh, nothing really, just how you've disturbed my day." And my life. And my sleep. And all my thoughts day and night.

Instead of hitting me like I expected her to, Arya merely laughed again. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and then kissed me again. When she pulled away, I know I probably looked like an idiot.

Which, according to Onewa, isn't all that hard for me to do anyway, but HEY, this is different! This is my (kinda) wife we're talking about here! I'm ALLOWED to look stupid when she kisses me because when she does aforementioned action, all the thoughts in my head jumble up and I dunno what to do so I just sit there and look like an idiot. Unless my romantic drive kicks in, cuz then I kiss her back.

These days, though, it's probably better to let her wear the pants in this relationship. I don't want her to get all offended because I assert my authority or something. This woman is SCARY when she gets mad. Ordinarily, she doesn't care if I act like a man and assert my authority, but now that's be a bad idea. I don't feel like cleaning up any of my vital organs off the floor, thanks.

I grinned and pulled her over for another kiss. "I think I forgive you."

X x X x X

**AN: OK, there. I'm in the zone. This wasn't funny compared to some of my other stuff, but WHATEVER, it's Matau getting henpecked and that to me is entertainment.**

**But um yeah, pregnant women ARE scary. I'm sooo glad my older cousin finally had her baby...I was terrified of her while she was pregnant. It's all "NAGNAGNAG OMG I NEED -insert some kind of odd food that Saya had never heard of before here- RIGHT NOW! YOU THERE! YOU SHALL GO GET IT FOR ME **_**NOW**_**!"**

**Review and request, please!**


	11. Tahu, Kopaka, and Lewa, Sounding Alike

**Number Eleven**

**Title: Sounding Alike**

**Requested by: Shay Moonsilk**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "How Kopaka and Kazoku's (my Tahu/Gali daughter) names sound alike" and "Tahu's sexuality in question"**

**Characters: Tahu, Kopaka, Lewa, Kazoku**

**Warning: STUPIDITY! Also, mentions of shounen-ai and some mild language.**

X x X x X

Kids sucked. Like, really _sucked_. Especially babies. Babies meant pooping and crying and eating all over the place. And screaming. Screaming so loud that Kopaka had a headache 24/7. But it wasn't HIS fault that he was the only one Kazoku would allow to put her down for a nap when her mother wasn't around!

And as Tahu mysteriously disappeared whenever the words "dirty" and "diaper" were uttered together, that left the poor put-upon Toa of Ice to deal with his teammate's rather vocal daughter.

It also didn't help that Lewa was underfoot whenever possible, laughing at Kopaka's distress and making stupid jokes. Yeah, Kopaka REALLY hated the Toa of Air right about now.

"Lewa," he snapped, "Get the hell away from me. NOW."

Lewa merely laughed and poked Kazoku in the stomach. The toddler giggled.

Tahu walked into the room, carrying a jar of baby food, and Kazoku automatically shut her mouth, refusing stubbornly to eat it. Kopaka had to agree. That stuff didn't exactly look good. It looked rather...gross, actually. The edible part of a harekeke plant, all mushed up like that? Like, EW. Gross. Disgusting. _EW._

But it was worse because Lewa was around.

"Hey," he said slowly, "didja ever notice how Kopaka's and Kazoku's call-names sound kinda alike?"

"No." Kopaka deadpanned, at the same time that Tahu glared at him for daring to suggest such a heinous thing.

"Seriously!" Lewa went on. "They DO. Did you like, have Kopaka on the mind-brain or something, firespitter?"

Tahu choked on the water he was drinking, but Kopaka didn't bother to help him out and slap him on the back. He was too busy staring at him in horror, then quickly jumped up, glaring at him.

"Yeah totally, it's so weird!" Lewa said. "Something's not right!"

"Lewa," Tahu growled once he regained control of his lungs, "shut the hell up or I'll throw you in the Great Furnace."

"YOU SUCK AT PARENTING!" Lewa shrieked, which in turn caused Kazoku to start screaming as well. "LANGUAGE IN FRONT OF KIDS, I'M TELLING GALI--"

He was cut off as Kopaka had just booted him in the head. The Ice Toa gave all three of them - baby included - another frosty glare, then turned on his heel and slammed the door behind them.

Let that pompous Fire Toa get the baby to sleep without him! It was impossible!

"Lewa," Tahu snarled, holding his screaming daughter and rocking her frantically, "as soon as she shuts up, _you are so dead_."

X x X x X

**AN: That wasn't very funny. Ahhh. I'll have to do better in the future. Um, I haven't written anything in a while, but for a good reason: I'm kinda sorta not allowed on the computer **_**at all**_** during the week, and I'm pretty tired on the weekends, so updates are going to be a little slow in coming. Not to mention that I have better things to do than sit on the computer on a Saturday. Yeah. How dare I have a real life.**

**Anyway. That was for **_**Shay Moonsilk**_**, and there's some more stuff coming up later. Probably by tonight, but I'm going to go raid the movie theater now (God I love having a car), so byebyez!**

**Review and request please!**


	12. Vakama and Natay, Deleted Scene

**Number Twelve**

**Title: OMAKE: **_**The Road Not Taken**_

**Requested by: Nobody. This is a deleted scene from **_**The Road Not Taken**_**, actually.**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Deleted scenes".**

**Characters: Vakama, Natay**

**Warning: Some stuff from **_**The Road Not Taken**_**, but nothing you didn't already know.**

X x X x X

"Hey, Natay?"

The orange Hordika looked at him, yellow eyes blinking. "Yeah? Need something?"

"What's it like being a Hordika?"

She blinked again, surprised. "Kid, that's some question. Sure you wanna ask it?"

He nodded. "Obviously I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to."

Natay sighed, but had to admit he had some logic. "Alright, alright. Um, it's...not bad, I guess. Once y'get used to it, anyways. Kinda hard at first, cuz you don't know how ta move properly, an' everything's sore, and ya just wanna go back to normal." She said this in a rush, as though trying to get it all out.

"You were a Toa once, right?" he asked.

"Of course. Toa Natay Mahi, Toa Mahi of Power Scream, that was me back in the old days..."

He couldn't help but ask this next question. "How did it happen? How did you get to be like that?"

She was silent a moment before answering. "...it was right after Nidhiki betrayed us an' left with the Dark Hunters. I tracked 'em to Odina a few years later. Just couldn't take it anymore, knowin' one of my best friends was a Dark Hunter. I wanted to bring 'im back. But I got caught, and they gave me to that witch Roodaka. And she injected this...stuff into me. Wasn't till later that I found out it was some kinda new venom she'd just discovered. Anyway, it mutated me into what you see here now."

"And...did you get to see Nidhiki?" Vakama ventured to ask.

Natay laughed bitterly. "Oh I saw him alright. Dunno how I knew it was him, but it couldn't be anyone else I guess. He had those same red eyes still, an' he looked at me an' I looked at him, an' he said, 'My Natay, so heartless, so fearless, so emotionless...and yet, the look on your face...I could swear it was PITY.' An' then he picked me up as I lay there, an' he threw me out the window, straight onto the beach below. Lucky fer me, Lhikan had come lookin' for me, and he found me and brought me back home. But back then, there was no cure that was known, so I was stuck. I'm a Hordika now, and I can't be turned back. The venom's too firmly set in my blood. I'll be this way till I die." Her eyes twinkled. "What? Jealous of my good looks?"

Vakama bristled. "We were changed back because we actually bothered to try to find a way to change back! If you had done so too, you wouldn't look that way right now!"

"Wasn't you that went lookin' for Keetongu, it was your team," she reminded him. "Now, it wasn't your fault what happened either, but the point is, Vakama...well, I guess you know what it's like to have everyone hate you, eh? You shoulda seen the look on some of those Matoran's faces when they saw me. It was priceless. Wish I'd had a camera or something.

"But bein' different isn't somethin' to be ashamed of, Vakama. If it was, then people'd be tryin' their hardest to be the same, wouldn't they? You coulda kept your Hordika forms, but you didn't. And if you had, you woulda been a lot stronger than you are now. Bit uglier, yeah, but stronger. But you chose to go back to bein' Toa. Anyone else might've chosen strength, but you all chose to be heroes. That was difference right there, wasn't it?"

He blinked. "I...suppose it was. Were you there when we...were Hordika? You know so much about it..."

"I only know what I've been told," she replied. "An' what I saw durin' the Visorak's occupation of this island. An' before you ask, the reason I did nothing when they came was because I was scared. I didn't leave my cave the whole time they were here. Kept rememberin' my mutation and how much it hurt. All I could think about was how bloody scared I was an' how much I wanted them to leave. And that was my heroic contribution to the Visorak wars." She laughed. "Some hero I am, huh?"

"No..." he murmured thoughtfully. "You did what was natural. You feared them because they brought back your shame, which, if I'm right, you'd been suppressing for years." When she nodded, he continued. "And...the reason WE did what we did was because we were angry...and because the Rahaga were there to help us and guide us. Otherwise, we might've done what you did...as it were, I betrayed my friends to them. You were scared, and you had a right to be. And there's no shame in being scared, right?"

Natay smiled, showing off her fangs. "Spoken like a diplomat, Vakama."

He shrugged modestly. "I've lived around one of the most silver-tongued beings on the planet for the past ten years - it just rubbed off on me, I guess."

Indeed Takadox had rubbed off on him.

X x X x X

**AN: And that was the deleted scene. I wrote it, but then couldn't find a good place for it, and so took it out completely. But I wanted to show it SOMEWHERE, so it gets shown here!**

**Hm, I've got a Jaller/Hahli request! Woo! I need some canon XD**

**Review and request, please!**


	13. Nidhiki and Lariska, No Chance

**Number Thirteen**

**Title: No Chance**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Nidhiki/Lariska**

**Prompt: "First time around" **

**Characters: Nidhiki, Lariska, the Shadowed One**

**Warning: Weird humor, the usual oddities. Waaaaaaaiiiiii XD**

X x X x X

Lariska glared at the green Toa in front of her, who was standing rather obstinately in her way. "Get out of my face." she snapped. "NOW."

He shook his head, obviously wondering who had spit in her corn flakes that morning. "I was told to come to you for instructions."

"And that was my instructions." Lariska replied. "Go away. Go bother somebody else. I'm busy."

"And I need you to tell me what to do!" he said exasperatedly. "Look, I'm not psyched about it either, but the Shadowed One said--"

"Screw the Shadowed One!" Lariska snapped. "He can go eat Kikanalo dung for all I care! If you MUST have orders, then FINE - go find someone who can assign you to a mission and go get killed!"

"But..." Oh Mata Nui, _why hadn't he left her alone yet?_ "Aren't...YOU the one who gives out missions?"

"Yes, but--" She stopped. Now, that was a REALLY good point. He really had her there. She took the time to grumble to herself about recruits who were too smart for their own good and then straightened up. "OK, first mission - LEAVE ME THE HECK ALONE!"

"That isn't a mission," Nidhiki frowned. "That's you being antisocial. And mean. Very mean." She was very pretty, but apparently looks were no guarantee of personality anymore. What was the reason he had joined the Dark Hunters again?

Oh yeah, so he wouldn't die. Right. Well, right about now, he was sincerely regretting that decision.

So was Lariska, apparently. "Look," she said, trying to be nice, "it was great doing business with you on Metru Nui - even though we still lost. But I am BUSY. I have a VERY important meeting to get to, and with you standing in my way like this and _not letting me through_, I'm going to be late! Now get out of the way!"

"Not until you gimme a mission." Nidhiki said stubbornly, planting his feet firmly on the floor and crossing his arms over his chest. He matched her glare with one of his own, and she sighed.

"Fine, fine!" she snapped. "There's a job open right now, that of training of recruits. You're a Toa, and I've seen you fight, so until further notice, that'll be your mission. Now scram!"

He stepped aside to let her pass, but instead of wandering off like she'd expected, he followed her to the meeting room, jabbering all the way. By the time she reached her destination and managed to slam the door without him getting in with her, she was breathing hard and looked distinctly harassed, nothing like her usual calm, composed self. The Shadowed One raised a brow at her boredly.

"You'll have to lose weight if walking up a single flight of stairs is enough to leave you this out of breath."

"Shut up," she snapped. If anyone else had said this to him, they would have died, but Lariska was a special case. "It's that Air Toa we just recruited, that Nidhiki Mahi! He won't leave me alone!"

"I fear we are here to discuss our finances, not your love life," the Shadowed One said stiffly. "Kindly take your womanly fantasies of a romance with a recruit elsewhere."

He had to duck just then, as she had thrown the nearest object, an ornate vase, directly at his head.

X x X x X

**AN: I had fun with that one...hm...I'll have to work with Lariska more often now. She's a lot of fun to write XD**

**Next: Mano/Shay for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**, because I am totally not a lazy ass right now. Right. Yeah. That one's coming out a bit longer than I thought it would, but WHATEVER.**

**Review and request, please!**


	14. Gali, Pohatu, and Takua, Wizard 1

**Number Fourteen**

**Title: The Wizard of...Mata Nui? #1**

**Requested by: Kristine-sama again (abuse of big sister-ness! ABUSE, I SAY!)**

**Pairing: Tahu/Gali.**

**Prompt: "Wizard of Oz", "Saya write me some Scarecrow/Dorothy NOW!", "Oh and I want it to be a Bionicle parody for your oneshot collection", "Oh and it has to be multiple chapters too"...my oneesama's evil T-T**

**Characters: Gali (as Dorothy), Takua (as Toto), Pohatu (as Glinda the Good Witch of the North), Roodaka (as the Wicked Witch of the West), Sidorak (as the Wicked Witch of the East), the Matoran (as the Munchkins)**

**Warning: Freaking canon rape! Of both a good fandom and a good movie! OH THE HORROR!**

X x X x X

Gali blinked slowly, fidgeting as the smiling man in the dress in front of her explained just what was going on here. She couldn't figure out WHY he was wearing a dress, but wearing it he was. And it was brown. But it had that subtle look to it that suggested it had been dyed rather cheaply and in a hurry. She rolled her eyes. Go figure.

"--and that's why the shrimps over there hit me up and wanted me to come and check you out, cuz if you were another bad witch I'd totally have to kill you, you see!" the dress-wearing man chattered. "By the way, I'm Pohatu, the Good Witch of the North."

Gali raised an eyebrow. "Um...being a guy...aren't you supposed to be a WIZARD, not a witch? And what's with the dress?"

Pohatu, the Good Witch of the North, looked a tad bit offended at this. "It's a parody, not like I can choose which character I am! And anyway, I like this dress. I think I'm gonna keep it!"

The girl shook her head, but let him continue.

"And now that you've killed Sidorak, who, by the way, was the Wicked Witch of the East, you're like totally a hero and stuff! ALL HAIL GALI AND HER MAGIC HUT THING!"

"ALL HAIL GALI!" the Matoran repeated behind him.

Gali looked down at her feet, noticing her dog had chosen to hide behind her legs from all the scary cheering people. "Takua, c'mon, lighten up! Whatever happens, at least we don't have to worry about popularity!"

"Bark." Takua deadpanned, giving her a LOOK.

"But now I have to disappear, being the Good Witch and all, so I'll just send you on your merry way!" Pohatu concluded. He pointed his wand at a bright yellow (more like goldenrod) brick road which led out of the village of Po-Koro. "That's the yellow brick road. It'll get you to the Wizard of Mata Nui so he can send you home and stuff."

"But...Ga-Koro's just right over there...I could walk there easily..." Gali protested, but the look on Pohatu's face prevented anymore of this logical thinking. "Or I could just take the shiny brick road and go see the Wizard of Mata Nui," she finished meekly, and he smiled.

Just then, there was a loud burst from behind them, which caused the Matoran to scream and drop to the floor (because fainting is really going to save you from a witch). The person behind the smoke coughed violently, and continued to do so once it had cleared.

At least two minutes passed before the tall woman in the black robe and big pointy black hat straightened up and stared down her nose at them. "Who killed my fiancé? Was it YOU?" She pointed rather dramatically with her Rhotuka launcher at Gali, who cowered behind Pohatu. She would have totally kicked her butt for this, but hey, she was wearing a blue and white checked dress right now, and it's hard to kick butt in a blue and white checked dress! Takua didn't even attempt to defend her. He just hid behind her. Again.

"Uh...who's that?" she whispered to Pohatu, who was looking strangely amused about something. "That's Roodaka, the Wicked Witch of the West!" he replied. "She's worse than her fiancé, who, truth be told, was kind of a pansy. Heh."

Roodaka rolled her eyes. "WHO KILLED SIDORAK?" she bellowed, causing the Matoran to give veiled whimpers of fear.

Gali grabbed her long hair to keep it from blowing backwards in the force of the wind, and frowned as one of the bells on Pohatu's hat smacked her in the face. "Um, I didn't mean to," she said, stepping slightly out of Pohatu's shadow. "It was kind of an accident, I mean, how was I supposed to know that stupid tornado would pick up my hut and take me all the way over here?!"

"SILENCE." Roodaka snapped, and Gali eeped and shut up immediately. "I don't care who did it, but I'll have my revenge." she said, eyes flashing. "And now, for the sake of the plot, I'm going to threaten you. Be frightened."

"What about the ruby slippers?" Pohatu asked, and Roodaka snorted steam out of her nostrils. "Ah yes. But wait!" She stomped over to her (late) fiancé's corpse to go get said slippers. Unfortunately, as soon as she came within ten feet of them, they disappeared, to reappear on a stunned Gali's feet, completely replacing her other shoes.

The Wicked Witch rolled her eyes again. "How original," she mumbled, but she drew herself up as tall as she could and stated imperiously, "Those things WILL be mine--"

"But they won't even fit you! Your feet are like eight times bigger than mine!" Gali interjected, and Roodaka twitched.

"That does not matter. And now I shall threaten you again and leave before a hut gets dropped on me as well. Watch your back." And with a puff of smoke and a hacking cough, she was gone.

An awkward silence followed as the Matoran shakily got up and looked to the Good Witch of the North for advice. Pohatu shrugged. "Hey, don't ask me!" he said defensively. "Well, Gali, if you'll kindly be on your way, I'll get going too. I'm late for a meeting. Just follow the yellow brick road, yeah?"

And with a flash of brown light, he too vanished.

Gali sighed and began to walk, tugging Takua along with her and trying to ignore the sparkling shoes on her feet.

X x X x X

**AN: I'm totally gonna get shot for this. WAI. Anyway, now that I'm done raping your canon, I'd like you to tell me what you think of this parody thingamabob.**

_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**, the Mano/Shay one is coming, it's just giving me a little trouble right now XD It's getting to be kinda long for a drabble too...agh. But I promise it'll be next!**

**Review and request, people!**


	15. Mano and Shay, Bandit

Number Fifteen

**Number Fifteen**

**Title: Bandit**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Mano/Shay (my and **_**Shay Moonsilk's**_** characters)**

**Prompt: "Shay's first years in the Dark Hunters"**

**Characters: Mano, Shay, Shinoda, the Shadowed One, Malvado**

**Warning: OC/OC romance, kissing (OMG NOEZ!), and dancing.**

X x X x X

He wasn't exactly the first Vortixx Shay had laid eyes upon in her short life - she'd seen one before, but it was just a glimpse, a passing glance. That one had also been a female. This one was a male, and much taller than she thought possible. Somewhere around seven feet, she'd guess.

The Shadowed One was talking to her, saying something. What? Oh, this Vortixx was to be her teacher and mentor. That suited her just fine. She was a sensible Toa, and she knew she'd need help to be a Dark Hunter. An effective one, anyway. And this Mano had been a member for quite a while now.

He smiled at her as the Shadowed One dismissed them, ignoring the grumblings of the red and black Fire Toa next to him. "So, you're Shay then, hm? Nice to meet you. Name's Mano, like the boss said. You're a Toa Puebla, right?"

"Yes," Shay said quietly, meeting his gaze. Blue. Very bright blue eyes stared down at her. He nodded. "Ah. Tragic affair, that."

She didn't answer. They deserved what they got. She had a right to be a Toa. Just because she was a girl--

"I still don't see why I have to partner with Airwatcher till you're done being Mr. Goodwill," the red and black Toa complained. "It's not fair."

Mano grinned and punched him on the shoulder. "Kick it up, Shinoda. I'm sure Airwatcher's just DYING to spend time with you!"

"Huh, he'll be dying if he goes anywhere near me, alright," Shinoda grumbled. He cast one red eye over Shay. "You sure he didn't tell ME to be her teacher instead of you?"

She didn't like the way he looked at her.

Suddenly, the strings attached to the marionette controller on Mano's back sprang to life and waved menacingly. "This is MY assignment," Mano said coldly. "You have yours, leave me be to finish mine. Few years, we'll be back together like the two old buddies we are."

Shinoda snorted. "We were friends? Since when did THIS occur?"

Mano laughed, and the strings dropped. "Good point. See you in a few years, Shin."

The Fire Toa swordsman grumbled again, but left them in peace, stumping off and muttering about unfinished paperwork that had to be done.

"So then," Mano said, turning back to Shay. "To have beaten off an entire island, you must be a pretty good fighter, eh? Wanna give me a taste of what I've got to deal with for the next few years?"

Shay nodded. "Sure."

X x X

"Fighting isn't the only thing you have to learn," Mano explained a few months later. "There are other skills we use to do the things we do, for our missions, y'know? Like, if I'm sent to spy on some king at a ball or whatever, I can't jump in and start killing everyone within fifty feet of me. That would be straight failure."

Shay nodded, understanding. "OK. So what would I do in that situation? I'm not too good with etiquette and all that..." She felt nervous. There was more to this than she'd thought. The stories surrounding this organization all told of vicious, unscrupulous beings, who would kill their own mothers for an extra handful of money. Not to say that some of the Dark Hunters WEREN'T like that, because some were, but there were a good number who weren't.

Mano being one of them.

"Each kingdom has its own etiquette, but being a guest, as long as you're polite, they're most likely to excuse your lack of knowledge of their customs." Mano said. "There ARE a few things you have to know though. We're being sent on one such mission next week, which is why I'm taking the time to go over this with you. And yes, Shay, it IS a ball. Can you dance?"

She shook her head. "Not at all." She laughed a bit. "My dancing makes people point and laugh."

He frowned. "You can't be that bad. You should see some of these fools try it sometime - it's hilarious. C'mon, show me what you've got. If you can fight, surely you must have some semblance of balance, right?" His eyes sparkled at her, and she felt nervous.

"Alright..."

She stared at him for a moment. "Um, there's no music...you have to dance a certain way to certain types of music, right?"

Mano looked at her, impressed. "Well said. And you're right. Unfortunately, we don't have any instruments that I can play. Properly, anyway. If only Malvado were here, he's a decent singer. Oh well. I'll hum something, and you dance to it, yeah? Just do what you think is appropriate for the tune. Now, proper style of 'formal' dancing. Your left hand holds my right, and your left goes on my shoulder - sorry, I'm a little tall," he smiled as she had to strain a bit. "And my left goes here, on your waist. And now, we move."

He started to hum a slow song, pausing only to say, "Remember, in nearly all formal dances, the male leads. Blame it on pride. No self-respecting male in any land except Xia would allow a female to lead in anything."

He started humming again, moving her with him. "Move your feet, you're doing fine," he sang to the tune of the song. "Just be careful your foot doesn't step on mine."

She had to laugh at this.

Only one thing late her - if this mission was next week, then why were they practicing so early? But when she asked this, her teacher merely smiled and shook his head, still humming contentedly. Perhaps it was just the Dark Hunter way, Shay mused, to test their recruits with stuff like this.

If that was the way he wanted to play, then bring it! She'd master these dances AGES before that stupid mission!

X x X

The spying mission wasn't the only one they were assigned to. There were several others, smaller minor ones that they went on. Never big ones though, as Shay was not yet a full member of the team. She wasn't considered good enough yet.

She smiled at the deep gray, blindfolded Hordika that was chatting with her teacher before their departure, and despite the fact that she knew he couldn't see her, he smiled back. "You're lucky, Mano," he said so that she could hear. "Out of all the new recruits, you get to train the cutest one!"

Shay blushed at that, and Mano laughed. "Call it my blinding charm - the Shadowed One can't help but give me the best of everything." he said. "If I were a female, he'd totally be in love with me."

Malvado snorted and punched him in the arm. "Keep dreaming, Vortixx. Well, I better get going. My own charge's calling."

The Vortixx smiled. "Siahta's getting big these days. Soon she won't be a little girl anymore."

The Hordika looked vaguely sad about that for a moment, but then the sadness slid from his face and he smiled lazily. "She was about three when Shinoda brought her here, and it's been eleven years since then. Hard to believe sometimes. She only just recently stopped sleeping in my bed when it gets cold."

At this, Mano burst out laughing. "And this is the famous Malvado Hordika of Fere Nui? Getting soft in your old age, huh, hypnotizer?"

Malvado grunted and swatted at him. "Shut your trap. If showing kindness and teaching a kid to be honorable is being a wuss, then I hate to see what Shay turns out like when you're through with her, O Mighty Mano."

Mano grinned. "Naw, she's too old for me to have THAT much of an effect on her. She's not too bad a dancer though - or a fighter. She'll make a good Hunter when the time comes."

Finally, the Hordika smiled again. "You sound just like I used to with Siahta. I tried so hard not to get attached to her. Not like it worked, though. She was just too cute not to get attached to. I admit to playing with her sometimes when we were supposed to be training, but can you blame me? When something that small and cute wants to play hide-and-seek instead of learning how to kill someone, who am I to say no? Besides, all that hide-and-seek ended up doing a load of good. She'll make a good strategist someday."

"I would think she would be better as a spy if she were good at hide-and-seek." Mano said.

Malvado shook his head no. "Nope, strategist for sure. Not only did she manage to get away from me, she managed to tag me nearly every time without getting caught. I had to use my nose and ears together to catch her. Anyone who can fool a Hordika like that would make a good strategist."

The Vortixx shrugged. "If you say so; you know her best. Now, if you'll excuse me, me and Shay have a mission to go on. See you around, Malvado."

"Just be careful," Malvado warned him. "She may be a good fighter, but she's nowhere near as vicious as Shinoda is. Don't go getting into any situation that would require that viciousness, because it won't end well."

Mano rolled his eyes. "I knew it was a bad idea to let you raise a kid. What are you, my father?"

"No, just sensible." the Hordika countered. "And I have no wish to lose any more members than is absolutely necessary. She's a cute kid, Mano - take care of her."

Mano grunted, then got in the boat with Shay and slowly steered it away from Odina's shores.

X x X

This wasn't going well. She was nervous - heck, bloody _terrified_ - but she couldn't show it. She watched as Mano bowed easily to the king who was hosting the ball, greeting him politely. The king responded in kind, giving a deep nod.

A moment later, Mano returned to her and grabbed her arm, pulling her into the center of the room. Musicians were just beginning to start up, to Shay's discontent. Dancing alone was one thing, but around so many others? It was nerve-wracking! "Now dance with me," Mano said, positioning them. "It'll be considered rude if we don't. Besides, I wanna have some fun; plenty of time for spying later."

His hand went on her waist, and for some reason, her heart began to speed up. The song started, a slow one, and she took his other hand, holding it softly as they swayed to the music. She was hard-put to look at him properly, as he was so tall. As she had noticed upon first being recruited, he was somewhere around seven feet tall, whereas she herself was just under six feet. She came up to his chest, and even that was probably overstating it.

"Relax," her teacher's voice whispered in her ear, and she stiffened. She hadn't realized he'd been watching her until now, and she almost burned with humiliation. But she managed to suppress the blush and cleared her throat, still playing the role of the demure young maiden.

"Keep it up," he kept whispering, "Remember, it's important to make them think we're harmless. Let them think you're my consort or something. Make it seem like we're too busy concentrating on each other to notice anything else, but keep your eyes and ears open."

She merely nodded, and did not say that she did not have to act like she was too busy concentrating on him to notice anything else. She already WAS concentrating on him too much. Mentally, she shook herself and looked up at him, catching his eyes.

Blue. Unnaturally bright blue. They sparkled at her, and she felt her heart speed up again.

Before she knew what was happening, he had maneuvered them towards where the king and one of his advisors sat, talking in hushed tones. Still dancing, but now more discreetly, Mano kept stealing glances at them, his brow slightly furrowed. He could just barely make out what they were saying.

"_...shipments coming in tomorrow, My Lord--"_

"_--good, I shall be there to greet them--"_

"_I will tell the Queen of Xia to not speak of this to anyone; we wouldn't want the Dark Hunters to find out--"_

Suddenly, the king spun around, his dark green eyes glaring right at them. Before Shay could take the time to be startled, she felt something warm crush against her lips - Mano's mouth. Her mind went blank as her cheeks went through at least twelve different shades of red.

The king grunted; it was nothing, only those two from whatever island it was having a public display of affection. He was so sure the male had been listening in on him, but perhaps he was mistaken. The Vortixx seemed to be concentrating too much on his partner to be listening to anything going on around him. He turned back to his advisor and cursed when he saw him gone. Stupid guests. Well, he probably shouldn't have been discussing it here anyway; the walls had ears in Court, after all.

With a yawn, he settled back into his throne and stared about the room.

Mano breathed a sigh of relief as he let go of his apprentice, finally releasing her mouth from his own. He knew he had shocked Shay with his quick actions, but it was the first thing that had sprung into his mind, and he had simply acted upon it rather than risk being caught and starting a scene. Certainly it was not the first time he had ever kissed a girl, but the kisses he had shared with other females were rather few and far between. It was something he enjoyed doing sometimes on missions, playing the part of the anti-hero, the dashing not-quite-gallant savior that rescued the fair maiden and robbed her while she was too busy lavishing him with thanks. The first time, the female had simply jumped on him, and even with his considerable strength, he had been hard-pressed to get her off. He blamed it both on his own exhaustion and the Pakari she wore.

But this was the first time he had been the one to really instigate the kiss. All the other times, the girl had either jumped on him, or leaned in so close that he could practically see nothing but her face. A small grin split his face as he realized what he'd done. Stolen a kiss from a virtuous maiden. Albeit a necessary-for-the-cause kiss, but it had been stolen nonetheless. He'd always enjoyed stealing, and this was no exception.

He made a mental note to do it again.

Shay was quiet the rest of the night, did not speak even when he grabbed her arm and quietly slipped out of the palace with her as the ball began to wound down sometime around 3 in the morning. He had chattered at her to fill the silence, and sometimes elicited a small response from her, but other than that, nothing.

As she settled down in the boat so they could sail back to Odina, she replayed the night in her mind. When the memory of the kiss resurfaced, she blushed so horribly she was sure Mano would be able to see it and quickly turned and faced the ocean, facing the opposite way that he was.

"You need practice." Mano said suddenly. She started, and looked back at him, glaring once she saw his smirk. "Excuse me?"

"That kiss." he said. "Let me guess - I stole your first kiss. Am I right?"

By the Great Spirit...he HAD! Why that no-good, back-stabbing, robbing--!

But she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing she was mad. She merely huffed and tossed her head. "So what if you did? Not like it matters, anyway."

"You still need practice. Stiffening up when someone kisses you is not good, Shay."

She whirled around, blue eyes flashing. "Listen, you--"

She stopped when her vision was obscured by an unnaturally bright pair of blue eyes that sparkled at her, even in this dark night. "Wh-what are you--?"

"Helping you practice," he replied, and kissed her again. This one was short and to the point, but it didn't stop her face from heating up and her knees from turning to jelly. She sat down hard, and fought back a scream of wrath when she heard him laugh.

"Thief!" she snarled, eyes blazing up at him.

Mano merely laughed again. "I always did like stealing."

He never mentioned that night ever again, except in passing, and even then, he never mentioned the two kisses he'd stolen from her. But every once in a while, on a dark night, Shay would remember.

X x X x X

**AN: Finally that one's done XD Sorry it took so long, but WOO, I'm writing again!**

**Next up: Tahu/Gali ANGST.**

**Review please!**


	16. Tahu and Gali, Heartless

Number Fifteen

**Number Sixteen**

**Title: Heartless**

**Requested by: Myself**

**Pairing: Tahu/Gali**

**Prompt: "Knife", "special kind of heartless", and "cold".**

**Characters: Tahu, Gali**

**Warning: Angst and whatnot.**

X x X x X

He thinks time might have stopped.

She's just lying there, and he can't understand why, but knows it has something to do with the knife clutched in her hand. It's got blood all over it _(oh God no, no, no please)_ - HER blood.

He kneels beside her and touches her face as gently as possible. Her name is on his lips, and he calls it softly as he begs her to wake up, because if she doesn't, then it's all over for him as well.

She's not responding, and it's all he can do not to just crush his lips to hers right there. Anything to know she's real - _alive_.

_Please..._ he begs silently, fighting the tears that are beading in his eyes, because tears are a weakness, and dammit, _he's not weak._

He hates that he loves her so much to have to plead with her like this, but he can't help it. Even if he knew she didn't feel the same way, he still just can't help the way he feels. Even though she was a special kind of heartless _(he would be the heart she so badly lacked)_, there's nothing he can do about it.

He's failed again, failed to save someone he cares about. He couldn't protect Jaller, even though he was the Toa designated to guard over the village Jaller came from, and Jaller died because of it. He may have been brought back to life, but that's not a regular occurrence _(but please, please, please let it happen again)_.

For the first time, he understands why so many older Toa are so cool and aloof, and why Kopaka is the way he is. Perhaps it's better to not feel at all than to risk losing so much so quickly _(and it was over in the blink of an eye)_.

He touches her face again, and feels his _(breaking)_ heart stop.

She's cold. She was always cool before, being of the Water element, but never...never cold _(he hated the cold)_. It's unnatural; he can already feel the stiffness coming upon her, the awful stiffness that means she's gone for good.

Others might call it losing her, but she's not lost - she's gone, and no matter where he goes _(and he'd go anywhere for her)_, he will never be able to see her again.

He is heartless without her _(but then why does the middle of his chest ache so bad?)_, and places his head on her chest, hating how he still begs for there to be something, _anything_, to show she's not dead. He's never asked the Great Spirit for anything before, but now he's begging, pleading, wishing, bribing Mata Nui to please let this be a dream, a nightmare, and nothing more.

But it's not a dream. The knowledge of this makes him want to die _(but if you die in your dreams, you die for real)_.

Slowly, shakingly, he reaches out and gently unwraps her cold hand from the knife. The blood _(no longer red but ugly dried brown)_ does not appeal to him, and he holds back a retch.

He always hated the sight of blood.

As he imagines she might have done, he holds it up to the heavens with both hands, then drives it straight home into his heart.

_(but he doesn't have one, remember?)_

X x X x X

**AN: Wow, that wasn't emo at ALL!**

**Hm, right.**

**Next up: Lewa, Kopaka, and dance music. Something tells me this won't end well...**

**Review, please!**


	17. Kopaka and Lewa, Caramelldansen

Number Fifteen

**Number Seventeen**

**Title: Caramelldansen**

**Requested by: Zanda Waffle 07**

**Pairing: Lewa/Kopaka friendship**

**Prompt: "C'mon Saya, do the Caramelldansen with me or I'll eat your children!" ...and with MY brother, it's entirely possible D:**

**Characters: Lewa, Kopaka**

**Warning: Lewa and Kopaka dancing to techno. Song's in Swedish. Go look it up on YouTube to see just what you're dealing with here. Thanks to **_**Kristine-sama**_** for helping me to translate the lyrics!**

X x X x X

"Vi undrar är ni redo att vara med   
Armarna upp nu ska ni få se   
Kom igen   
Vem som helst kan vara med!"

Kopaka's eye twitched visibly as the song continued to play on Lewa's stereo, and he wished vehemently for ear plugs. Unfortunately for him, there were none to be found. Also to his disgust, the Air Toa was dancing around and singing to the song, which was sung by a girl and then, of all things, chipmunk'd.

He needed new friends. Seriously.

"Så rör på era fötter   
O-a-a-a!   
Och vicka era höfter   
O-la-la-la!   
Gör som vi   
Till denna melodi!  

"Dansa med oss   
Klappa era händer   
Gör som vi gör   
Ta några steg åt vänster   
Lyssna och lär   
Missa inte chansen   
Nu är vi här med   
Caramelldansen!"

The dance that accompanied it was also strange, for it involved Lewa swinging his hips to the drum beat and keeping his hands close to the top of his head and...opening and closing them, also in time to the drum beat?

What the heck?

"What the hell does that even mean, anyway?" he muttered, watching his green friend continue to sing and dance. He hadn't expected Lewa to hear him, but apparently he had anyway. And now, instead of singing in whatever language it was in, he now sang it in the Basic tongue.

"It becomes a sensation all over, of course   
On the party's everyone will let loose   
Come on   
Now we'll take the steps again!  

"So move your feet   
O-a-a-a!   
And wiggle your hips   
O-la-la-la!   
Do as we do   
To this melody!  

"So come on   
Dance with us   
Clap your hands   
Do like we do   
Take some steps to the left   
Listen and learn   
Don't miss the chance   
We're here now with   
The Caramel Dance!"

Despite himself, Kopaka found himself chuckling a bit. The song suited Lewa perfectly, with his cheerful demeanor and party-boy personality. So lost in his thoughts was he that he was totally unprepared for Lewa's grabbing of his hands and forcing him to do the dance as well.

"Så kom och   
Dansa med oss   
Klappa era händer   
Gör som vi gör   
Ta några steg åt vänster   
Lyssna och lär   
Missa inte chansen   
Nu är vi här med   
Caramelldansen!"

"What's this hand thing supposed to be, anyway?!" Kopaka yelled over the music, and Lewa grinned. "A rabbit's ears, duh!" He stuck his tongue out at him and blew a raspberry. Kopaka was not amused.

Grumbling, he jerked away from the Air Toa and sat back down. But that didn't stop his foot from tapping out the beat against the floor as Lewa restarted the song and kept on dancing, still singing at the top of his abnormally powerful lungs.

"Dansa med oss   
Klappa era händer   
Gör som vi gör   
Ta några steg åt vänster   
Lyssna och lär   
Missa inte chansen   
Nu är vi här med   
Caramelldansen!"

X x X x X

**AN: That was basically my Sunday night, only not so bad. **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** had me doing that stupid Caramelldansen dance with him all night long -.-**

**I don't know why it keeps putting that "Number Fifteen" thing at the top of each chapter, but I blame the new document submitter thing. Piece of CRAP, I liked the old one just fine. Ah well.**

**Review, please!**


	18. Gali, Tahu, and Takua, Wizard 2

Number Fifteen

**Number Eighteen**

**Title: The Wizard of...Mata Nui? #2**

**Requested by: Kristine-sama**

**Pairing: Tahu/Gali**

**Prompt: "Saya why haven't you finished that **_**Wizard of Oz**_** parody yet?!"**

**Characters: Gali (as Dorothy), Takua (as Toto), Tahu (as the Scarecrow), Gukko bird (as a crow)**

**Warning: Even MOAR canon rape! Oh, and I know the geography of Mata Nui pretty well. I am also aware that Po-Koro and Ko-Koro are nowhere NEAR being close to each other, but it's fanfiction. Woo.**

X x X x X

To Gali's consternation, the yellow brick road she had been forced to take (she cursed that stupid Good Witch of the North for being so vehement about sticking to the plot) now branched off in two directions. One went into an ice-covered mountain, the other went off into some rather bleak-looking hills. The ruby slippers-wearing girl sighed and ran a hand down her face in exasperation.

"OK...we're lost, Takua. Hopelessly lost. Um...any idea as to where to go?"

"Bark." Takua said, and resumed the serious business of staring at the ground.

"Well, you COULD go that way--" a third voice started, and Gali gave a shriek, jumping about two feet in the air and whirling around to look for the speaker, who continued speaking. Now, however, a certain amount of maliciousness entered its voice, and she felt her temper rising.

"Of course, the other way's nice too - OW! What the hell was that for?!"

She stopped and stared at the thing that she had just thrown her basket at, which was glaring from the pole it was stuck to. "...scarecrows don't talk."

"Oh really?" the Scarecrow asked sarcastically. "What am I doing then? Mooing?" He put his hands on his hips and glared down at her badtemperedly. Takua took the time to start barking energetically. Hey, better late than never!

Gali frowned. "What are you doing up there?"

"What does it look like? I'm scaring Gukko birds, _derka der_!" At this moment, a Gukko alighted on top of the Scarecrow's pointed hat and pecked him on the nose, causing him to yell.

She held in a snicker as he glared at her. "It's NOT funny; and I can't even get down! Not that I want to, you see, but it'd be nice..."

He proceeded to go into a long rant why getting down would be nice and bad at the same time until she interrupted him to say, "Can't you make up your mind?!"

Another deadpan look was sent her way before he blushed and looked down. "...I haven't got one."

"Then...how can you talk?" she asked, now more confused than ever.

The Scarecrow shrugged. "Hell if I know. All I know is that I can - OW! MATA NUI, STUPID DOG!" He frantically shook his right leg, which Takua had just set his teeth into. Unfortunately, the pole he was attached to wasn't very stable, and the violent thrashing caused it to fall over.

"Oh my God!" Gali ran over and plucked Takua up. "Are you OK?!"

"I like how she asks the dog and not me," the Scarecrow muttered, disentangling himself from the pole and straightening his rather ragged clothes. "I mean, I only got bitten by a rabid dog, AND had a wooden pole fall on me...no, no harm done there! None at all!"

Gali gave him a very disdainful look and helped him up. For being made of straw he was DAMN heavy... "Alright, so what now? You know how to get to Kini Nui, right? That's where the Wizard of Mata Nui lives, and me and Takua are going to see him so he'll send us home to Ga-Koro."

The Scarecrow blinked. "But isn't Ga-Koro like five miles south of here? Whaddaya need the Wizard for? Use your own lazy feet and walk!"

"Well I would, you see, but Pohatu the Good Witch of the North made me go see the Wizard instead," she explained, then looked him up and down. "...by the way, what's your name?"

"Tahu." he replied. "Resident Scarecrow-type-thing of this...lovely place." He gestured at the mountain just past the small cornfield he had just been liberated from.

Gali blinked slowly. "Doesn't that mean 'burn'?"

"Ayup. Fire powers, you know."

"...but you're combustible."

An awkward silence followed, broken when Tahu screamed, "IT'S NOT MY FAULT, OK?! BLAME THIS FREAKING PARODY!"

"OK, OK!" Gali held her hands up and backed away slowly. "I guess you could come with me then, to get these brains you lack..."

Tahu sighed dramatically. "Ah, if only I had a brain. And then perhaps I'd deserve ya, and be even worthy of ya, if I only had a brain."

"That didn't rhyme."

"Shut up, it's a work in progress!"

She forced a smile and grabbed his arm, then proceeded to follow the mountain path, dragging him along. "OK then, Tahu the Scarecrow, let's travel together! Safety in numbers and all that!"

She completely missed the bright red blush that spread over his face as she did so, and he bent his head, attempting to obscure his cheeks with his conveniently fiery hair.

X x X x X

**AN: ARGH...I just raped your childhood D: I'm sorry. This is one of my favorite movies as well, so I'm aware of how heinous this is...but at the same time, I think it's OK. **_**Kristine-sama**_**, I'm gonna burn all your yaoi manga if you don't stop pestering me! And then you'll never see those two morons from **_**Gravitation**_** make out again and MWAHAHAHA!**

**OK, I'm done being psychotic. Hope you like the parody, dear sister and reviewers!**

**Review, please!**


	19. Matau and Nokama, Maturity

**Number Twenty-Three**

**Title: Maturity**

**Requested by: No one, but gift for Nobility, because she's awesome and reads all my Vakama/Nokama crap even though she supports Matau/Nokama.**

**Pairing: Matau/Nokama**

**Prompt: "Maturity".**

**Characters: Nokama, Matau, Nuju**

**Warning: Story contains Matau. I think that's warning enough.**

X x X x X

Nokama wasn't quite sure what she liked about him. He was obnoxious, immature, and weirder than anything she'd ever seen before.

Like right now.

If she wasn't mistaken, he was drawing what was supposed to be Nuju, but in a very caricaturized way. The picture had Nuju glaring badtemperedly (which, she had to admit, wasn't so far from the way he normally looked), with a big black arrow pointing to him from the word "GEEKNERD" written in big bold letters.

Nokama chuckled, although she couldn't help but be concerned. If Nuju saw that, he'd--

Grinning, Matau folded the paper up into an airplane shape and aimed carefully at the white shape some twenty feet away. He threw it, and it hit Nuju neatly on the back of the head. Grumbling, the Toa of Ice reached behind him and picked it up, then unfolded it and stared.

The resulting reaction was something akin to a volcano erupting.

"MMMAAAAAATTTTTAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUU!" Nuju howled, and shot up, then immediately gave chase. Matau gave a loud laugh, and then grabbed Nokama's hand and took off, running as fast as he could while she struggled to keep up, and doing her best to ignore the pounding footsteps and enraged yells behind them.

"I don't know why I put up with you!" she huffed as they continued to run.

Matau grinned at her. "You know you love me!" he replied and kept on dragging her along with him.

Nokama sighed, but had to admit that he was right. "I'd prefer it if you were a LITTLE bit more mature though!" she told him.

Matau snorted. "Mature guys are for squares."

He received a smack to the head for that comment.

X x X x X

**AN: YES. MATAUxNOKAMA, coming from Saya. It's a sign of the Apocalypse.**

**Review, please!**


	20. Shinoda and Aaralyn, Knight

**Number Twenty**

**Title: Knight In Shining Armor**

**Requested by: Arya-Metru**

**Pairing: Shinoda/Aaralyn**

**Prompt: "She told herself she didn't love him. It was ONLY for the sex. But every time she saw him, her heart skipped a beat and all she wanted...was him." "'Shinoda?' 'Hm?' 'D...d'you love me?'"**

**Characters: Shinoda, Aaralyn, Siahta, Nuju  
**

**Warning: Angst, mentions of **_**the birds and the bees**_**, Shinoda's asshole-ness, etc.**

X x X x X

"_Nighttime sharpens  
Heightens each sensation  
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination...  
Silently the senses abandon their defenses  
Helpless to resist the notes I write  
For I compose the Music of the Night..."_

Shinoda had a habit that only she, Aaralyn, knew about. He loved to sing to himself when he was happy about something. Usually the songs detailed about death and destruction, and she got chills watching him standing over the mutilated corpse of his latest victim, serenading them softly, but on the rare occasions that he just sang, it was always something amazing to see.

Sure, his voice wasn't the best, but he wasn't trying to be. He was just singing, which was something that everyone does at some point. Her daughter by him, Eris, did it sometimes too. The only difference was that Eris's songs were ALWAYS about death and destruction. Never about love, like the one Shinoda was singing to himself right now. It was rather a shock to her, him singing about love, although she noted the undertones. Of course it would be about darker love, nothing about the sweet tenderness that most love songs are about, but...

"_Slowly, gently  
Night unfurls its splendor  
Grasp it, sense it  
Tremulous and tender..._"

She told herself she didn't love him. It was ONLY for the sex. But every time she saw him, her heart skipped a beat and all she wanted...was him.

"_Hearing is believing  
Music is deceiving  
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight  
Dare you trust the Music of the Night?"_

"I do," Aaralyn whispered, and Shinoda glanced at her, a slight smirk on his face. "Any reason why you do?"

"There's nothing that I know otherwise, right?" she challenged him, hating his knowing smirk. "Of course I'm going to trust the night...or more specifically, the Dark Hunters. I grew up here. It's all I know."

"Hn." he grunted and shifted away from her, now silent. She was disappointed - this usually meant he was going to go into one of his darker, moodier personas. He never spoke when he got like this, but it was always a good idea not to talk to him. She had to know something though, and so she spoke.

"Shinoda?"

He grunted to show he'd heard. "Hm?"

"D...d'you love me?"

There. It was out. She'd asked.

He was silent for a few moments, still and unmoving. And when he spoke, his voice was measured out, calm, and flat. "There are very few beings in the world that I can honestly say I love. I was able to start the genocide of my own people because of my lack of love for them. A heart isn't something that can just be given. It has to be earned."

Aaralyn swallowed hard before asking another question. "And...have I earned it?"

"Why do you want to know?" His red eyes narrowed at her, the Kanohi Kualsi Mask of Quick-Travel he wore shining dully in the soft light. "Is something the matter?"

"No." Aaralyn murmured softly, turning away from him. "Nothing's wrong, Shinoda. Forget I asked."

"Hn," he hummed, and reached out to touch her shoulders. She flinched, but he paid it no mind. He smiled as he ran his finger down a faint mark on her back. "I remember giving you this scar. You gave me quite the sparring match. It was right after I'd gotten into the Hunters, remember?"

She did not answer, and he did not pursue the subject, but after a few moments, he began to sing again.

"_Close your eyes  
For your eyes will only tell the truth  
And the truth isn't what you want to see  
In the dark it is easy to pretend  
That the truth is what it ought to be..."_

He ought to have loved her.

And he knew it, too.

X x X

Shinoda laughed, high and loud, watching Siahta glare at him. "My dear Siahta, if only you had been born to me instead of to Zigo. And if only you lacked the emotions I do." He looked at his free hand, which was stained with the blood of some poor Matoran. "Being heartless is the same as being FREE. I can kill and kill all I want now, and I have no regrets whatsoever."

He lunged at her, and she cried out in pain as the saw blade made a long gash in her shoulder. Clutching it and gasping in agony, she fell to her knees, glaring up at him again. Bravery was something he valued, and she was certainly brave. Too bad it didn't matter anymore. She'd meet the same end as her father.

The sword point touched her throat, and she froze.

"It's too bad, you really were a cute kid. If I had been the one to teach you...well, it's too late now. Say goodbye!"

"Goodbye!" another voice shouted up above, and Shinoda's smirk turned into an expression of horror. Siahta's foot shot up and kicked him in the stomach, and he doubled over, wheezing hard, before she rolled out of the way.

"Have a nice death!" Nuju called, and swung his crystal spike at the lens of the telescope. It shattered, some shards bigger than his whole body.

The first shard struck him right in the shoulder, and he screamed in agony, but it only got worse when the next one embedded itself in his chest, cracking his breastplate right in two. The two halves hit the ground on either side of him as he lay gasping, fingers grasping desperately at the shards of glass in his body.

His heart. He could feel the sharp tip of the one in his chest scraping against his heart, could feel his own blood gushing from the myriad of wounds across his whole being. A soft smile broke out over his face as he realized he was about to die.

He had never really answered Aaralyn's question, had he? It was amazing how he was thinking of that right now, as he lay dying. But she was back on Odina, and he'd never see her again. Her, and one other...they were the ones who held his heart. Aluna, a Toa of Water he'd freed from a slave mine on Zakaz, but she too was gone...he'd forced her to leave when the war started, and she was long gone. Even back when he was still only considering it, he had known if he forced her to leave, he'd never see her again. She was innocent, and he wanted to protect that.

And Aaralyn...

His vision was clouding over, and Shinoda blinked, trying to clear it. The last words he would ever speak slipped out of his mouth as the breath left him.

"I love you..."

X x X

Aaralyn awoke with a start, her heart pounding hard in her chest. She clutched at it, grimacing at the pain it was causing, and looked out the window. Was it just her, or was the wind singing? It was a tune she recognized, as she'd last heard it the night before the ships put out for Metru Nui.

"_Hearing is believing   
Music is deceiving  
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight  
Dare you trust the Music of the Night?_

_Close your eyes  
For your eyes will only tell the truth  
And the truth isn't what you want to see  
In the dark it is easy to pretend  
That the truth is what it ought to be."_

X x X x X

**AN: That there was **_**Arya-Metru's**_** request, and I've got other stuff to do now, but I just wanted to get that one done, lol. It's true that Shinoda was indeed a heartless bastard that loved himself above everything in the world and would sacrifice anything if it meant one more day of life, but he's interesting for me to write about. Dunno why.**

**And I admit it: I love that song. It amuses me that when I sang it for some contest (that I won third place in out of like a hundred kids -shamelessly proud of self-), it made my dad cry. Hah. Although, I like the Michael Crawford version better than the Gerard Butler one. While Gerard Butler is indeed a great singer, Michael Crawford's version just had this **_**THING**_** that Butler's lacked.**

**Review and request, please!**


	21. Pohatu and Lewa, You Got Mail 3

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-One**

**Title: You've Got Mail #3**

**Requested by: Zanda Waffle 07 (also co-written with)**

**Pairing: Rather minor Tahu/Gali and Pohatu/Reha (who is mine, btw). And a dash of Tuyet/Lhikan, because we CAN.**

**Prompt: "Disco Stu", "Rockin' Rob", "Madam McLovin'", "down the stairs" (I LOVE what **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** did with that last one...)**

**Characters: Pohatu, Lewa, Tahu, Kopaka, Gali, Takanuva, Lhikan, Nidhiki, Tuyet, Onewa, Matau**

**Warning: E-mails, some language, weird situations, Tuyet's weirdness, etc.**

X x X x X

To: AcesHigh45

From: DesertLove64

Subject: ARE YOU WITH ME, DISCO STU?!

Well, Lewa, Firestarter and Ice Princess are at it again - you should have seen the e-mails they were sending back and forth, it was seriously hilarious. They were arguing over who was better: Megatron or Bumblebee. Somehow these got forwarded to me, so I had to SHOW THEM WHO'S BOSS, as seen in the attached thingamajig.

Shia LaBeouf is the best Transformer ever, amirite?!

...DUDE. We totally have to play a prank tomorrow! Onewa says he'll help, and it's been way too long since we did anything!

--Pohatu

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: AcesHigh45

Subject: I'M WITH YA, MADAM MCLOVIN!

Lol really? What idiots...then again Bumblebee DOES own Megatron...but I still like Hotshot the best LEAVE ME ALONE I WAS WATCHING THAT STUPID ANIME AND GOT HOOKED.

Sweet! What kind of prank? Not another one on Tuyet though - it took me WEEKS to re-grow my hair after she yanked it out that one time.

--Lewa

X x X

To: AcesHigh45

From: DesertLove64

Subject: That's "Rockin' Rob", dumbass

You know, while _Suberbad_ was freaking hilarious, it was also really stupid. Like stoner stupid, Lewa.

Hah, you watch anime!

...then again, so do I. The new _Naruto_ chapters SUCK. Freaking Pein killed Jiraiya, I mean, come on! Jiraiya should've pwned that guy!

But I think I should keep Reha from reading that _Dorothy of Oz_ manga thing she bought last week - she's going to make a shrine to Namu one of these days, I just know it. As long as she doesn't start reading _Death Note_ I'm all good...that anime was so bad.

Back on topic.

So pranking, yes? Onewa says he'll take care of the supplies, and we just have to meet him by the bathroom when lunch starts tomorrow.

--Pohatu

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: AcesHigh45

Subject: Oh whatever, Madam McLovin', Rockin' Rob, same thing!

Yeah but Misa was pretty cute. I was kinda wanting her and Light to get it on for a bit, but they WON'T. Sob sob. And Pein killed Jiraiya?! NOOOOOO! Jiraiya was the coolest character (besides Kiba)! -CRIES-

Reha reads manga? You corrupted her! Naughty! All you have to do is get her to cosplay Sailor Moon for you now and you're all good! xD

Uh, OK...but we have to stay hidden, OK? I don't wanna be killed ;-;

--Lewa

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Cloudrunner8

Subject: (no subject)

Lhikan, those kids are planning something again. You know the ones, that goofy green-haired...thing and the brown-haired kid.

The cafeteria's doomed.

--Nidhiki

X x X

To: Cloudrunner8

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: You could have at least used a subject, lazyass...

Nidhiki, don't worry about it. Everything's fine, they know better than to try anything. Now get back to work before the teacher comes and sees us e-mailing when we SHOULD be typing our essays!

--Lhikan

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Cloudrunner8

Subject: (no subject) (HAH)

Fine, ignore my goodwill. You'll regret it!

--Nidhiki

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: RockinOut70

Subject: You guys suck at pranking.

Just to let you know. But at least it went well, and without any major drawbacks (aka, Lewa getting half his hair yanked out by Tuyet) this time!

Let's see, you owe me 10 dollars for use of my skateboard, 15 for use of that funky firecracker Vakama stole from Tahu (but he gave it to me, so it's mine or WAS mine, anyway), 5 for the lunch I didn't get to eat because I was helping you, and 20 for standing up to Nidhiki about you. This is a generous offer, do NOT pass it up.

I look forward to doing business with you in the future!

--Onewa

X x X

To: RockinOut70

From: DesertLove64

Subject: WHAT?!

We do not! Rotten teacher / older brother you are!

And what the hell is with these outrageous prices?! You know I don't have that much money!

Jackass!

--Pohatu

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: RockinOut70

Subject: Well, it's true

Not my problem, little brother! Pay up or I'll turn you in!

--Onewa

X x X

To: AcesHigh45

From: DesertLove64

Subject: HELP ME

Onewa's making me PAY him for helping us! He wants 50 dollars total, but I don't have enough! And he's gonna turn me in if I don't pay! Dammit, I KNEW there was a reason he bounced after helping us set it up...they won't have CONCLUSIVE (as Teridax would say!) proof that he was in on it!

You need to split the bill with me, seriously. Otherwise I will HUNT YOU DOWN AND GUT YOU LIKE A FISH.

--Pohatu

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Cloudrunner8

Subject: (no subject)

What did I tell you?

My favorite jacket now smells like Mystery Meat. Thanks oh so much, Lhikan.

--Nidhiki

X x X

To: Cloudrunner8

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: NOT THIS AGAIN

Oh bite me. It's nothing a good wash won't fix, and anyway, Krekka got the full blast of it, you only got maybe about .3 percent. Heh.

--Lhikan

X x X

To: LiveItUp56

From: AcesHigh45

Subject: Can I borrow 25 dollars?

Please? You know you love me!

--Lewa

X x X

To: AcesHigh45

From: LiveItUp56

Subject: Uh...

This is about the whole exploding-mystery-meat thing, isn't it? Let me guess: Onewa's making you pay him for his assistance.

I'll give you 15, but you've gotta come up with the rest, dear baby brother. AND you'll have to pay me back. Take my turn washing dishes for the next two weeks and we'll call it even.

--Matau

X x X

To: LiveItUp56

From: AcesHigh45

Subject: Yes

Stingy!

OK fine. THANK YOU SO MUCH MATAU, I OWE YOU ONE.

--Lewa

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: Excuse me, but...

Did you know Pohatu and Lewa used one of YOUR firecrackers for their prank today?

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Excuse me, sir, but you have to be a MAN to ride that.

THEY _WHAT_?! THAT'S IT! THEY'RE GOING _**DOWN**_!!

--Tahu

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Undertow18

Subject: (no subject)

We're going out tomorrow night. Be ready by 7.

--Tuyet

X x X

To: Undertow18

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: ARGH YOU AND NIDHIKI WITH YOUR NO SUBJECTS!

Uh what if I don't want to?

--Lhikan

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Undertow18

Subject: (no subject)

Did I say I was giving you a choice? I still expect you to be ready by 7, no exceptions.

--Tuyet

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: DUDE!

Did you hear? Lhikan threw himself down the stairs and broke his leg to avoid having to go out with Tuyet tonight! xD!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: ORLY?

LOL really? Poor Lhikan then. Not that I blame him though - Tuyet is SCARY.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: YARLY!

Yeah, he's walking around with a cast and crutches and everything! He let me sign it - my signature takes up about half his foot.

I hear Tuyet's not too happy though...

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: NO WAI!

I just looked out the window - you're right. Nidhiki had to help him up the stairs XD

Well no DUH Tuyet's not happy. Would YOU be happy if someone you had just asked (read: threatened) out broke their leg just for the sole purpose of avoiding going out with you?

Oh yeah, Gali says to tell you hi and that she'll see you later.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: Shiny-N-Contour

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: OI LIGHTBULB FACE!

I NEED YOU TO SUSPEND KREKKA'S FOOTBALL LICENSE FOR ME, YEAH? HE STOLE MY LUNCH MONEY AND THEN SHOVED ME INTO A WALL AND YEAH HE NEEDS TO DIE, K?!

I'll buy you a new nightlight if you do.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: Shiny-N-Contour

Subject: DOMO ARIGATO, MR. ROBOTO!

Uh, but he's _big_. And _evil_. And _mean_. And trashcan'd me the other day, and I have no wish to repeat the experience.

Sorry, Tahu, but I'm _kinda_ out of my league here. Ask Lhikan, yes?

Will you still buy me that nightlight though? My old one died.

--Taka

X x X

To: Shiny-N-Contour

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: You are so NOT shiny and contour.

Bah, who needs you?! Well I do since you're kind of my biology tutor and all, but man, Taka, you _suck_.

But yes, I'll buy you the nightlight, since you cry without one.

And now I need to go bribe Lhikan. G'day mate!

--Tahu

X x X x X

**AN: We've had that one done since like...February, I think, but I kind of forgot to post it until just now XD Can you guess who wrote who? Obviously Zanda's Tahu and I'm Kopaka, but who writes everyone else? Zanda DOES write Tuyet though, I'll give you that. Yup.**

**Review and request please!**


	22. Kopaka and Tahu, Weak

**Number Twenty-Two**

**Title: Weak**

**Requested by: Shay Moonsilk**

**Pairing: Kopaka/Tahu**

**Prompt: "All you need", "to tear away"**

**Characters: Kopaka, Tahu**

**Warning: **_**SLASH**_**. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I have written slash. See the author's note below for rules about requesting slash, because this is definitely not a regular occurrence for me. Lol. Also, some bad language, because I always imagine it to be there for some reason.**

X x X x X

_(i will forget my dreams)_

If there was one thing he never expected to see, it was his best friend's - and more - heart torn out right before him. Well, maybe not his heart - but the next best thing. On the ground, Tahu gasped for breath, and Kopaka did too, in a macabre imitation of him. He couldn't breathe...

_(nothing is what it seems)_

Nothing in his mind right now but a fucking roaring blank of fear. He _reeked_ of fear, absolutely stank of it. He hated being afraid, but he was afraid now. Hell, he was terrified. Deep, paralyzing, gut-wrenching, phobia-type terrified.

_(i will effect you)_

Tahu looked up at him and grinned slowly, lifeblood pooling around him. The pinkish eyes were flickering horribly.

_(i will protect you)_

"Fucking weak, aren't you?" he gasped out, still smiling brokenly. Kopaka couldn't respond, just stared.

_(from all the crazy schemes)_

"Weak," Tahu continued. "S'all you need, isn't it, Frosty? Seeing me on the ground in front of you..." He coughed painfully, his smile taking on a maniacal look. "Go ahead."

_(you traded in your wings)_

"What...?" It was slow in coming; he could barely believe it had come from _his_ mouth. What was he doing?

_(for everything freedom brings)_

"Fuck you," Tahu replied. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. You've been waiting for it forever." He pitched his voice lower than normal, making a shiver run down the Toa of Ice's spine.

_(you never left me)_

"Kill me."

_(you never let me)_

At this, Kopaka stared. And stared. And continued staring. "Kill...you?" he asked, still feeling stupid but at the same time numb. But then again, not numb enough to kill the awful fear still pounding through him.

_(see what this feeling means)_

"It's all you need," the Toa of Fire repeated. "Me to be gone, isn't it? So just do it already...get it over with. You know you want to."

_(everything that you feel)_

Anger was taking over him. Anger was replacing the fear. Replacing it completely, and Kopaka dove into it with relief. Anything to get rid of the awful fear.

_(is everything that i feel)_

He strode over to his wounded teammate (more than just a teammate though) and yanked him up. Eye to eye, both stared, not giving in an inch. To give in would be to lose.

_(so when we dream)_

"You don't fucking know what I need," Kopaka snarled, and slipped Tahu's arm over his shoulder. Carefully, he boosted him up and half-carried, half-dragged him away. Tahu's head fell onto his shoulder, unconscious from fatigue and pain and blood loss, and he felt a new emotion slowly taking over the anger.

Relief.

_(we shout.)_

"You'll see what I need soon, though."

X x X x X

**AN: Hokay. Not very romantic, but I suck at slash. And it was first period when I wrote it in my notebook (full of sleepiness-induced grammar mistakes too!), so I think I can be forgiven for how dicy this is. By the way, rules for requesting slash are as follows:**

**1. Only three slash requests at a time, and that does not mean three per person. One per person at a time, only. Wait until the first three are totally finished and posted before requesting more, please.**

**2. This is the one time I'll allow someone I'm not close friends with request slash. Only for this drabble collection.**

**3. There are pairings I refuse to write, which include Vakama/Matau, Lhikan/Nidhiki, Teridax/Anyone, and Icarax/Anyone.**

**4. I don't write yuri, period. I actually prefer yuri to yaoi, but I refuse to write it. Sorry.**

**And that's really all I have to say. Hope **_**Shay Moonsilk**_** feels better and gets over being sick, because being sick sucks! (:**

**Next up: Anubis/Silarial for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**! Keep in touch and review, please!**


	23. Anubis and Silarial, See It My Way

**Number Twenty-Three**

**Title: See It My Way**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Anubis/Silarial (my OCs)**

**Prompt: "It could take place during the events leading up to **_**Heir To The Flame**_**"**

**Characters: Anubis, Silarial**

**Warning: OC/OC romance, ye have been warned! Er, well as romantic as a psychopath can get...yeah, we'll go with that. And also, some spoiler-ish stuff for my lonely fic, **_**Heir to the Flame**_**, but not too much. Hm-mm.**

X x X x X

If there was one thing Silarial hated, it was being weak. She knew she was weak, too. Out of all the Brotherhood of Makuta, she was the only one who couldn't produce kraata without severe physical strain and exhaustion bordering on coma-inducing, and when it came to kraata powers, she was less than adequate at using them.

It didn't make sense. She was a young Makuta, only around 2,000 years old, but this didn't make her feel any better about it.

The only thing that bothered her more than her lack of power was her father's choice of business associates. She could deal with the Shadowed One, as he had some semblance of courtesy. Even if he WAS the creator and founder of what she fondly referred to as the world's terrorist organization. Looking at typical examples of his employees, she thought she could be forgiven for naming them thus.

She could NOT, however, deal with Anubis the Painmaker. Despite Teridax's assurances that the Chaos Monster was beneficial to their cause, she had her doubts. A being whose life ambition was to destroy the world should be locked up, or better yet, left dead. But Teridax was adamant. He brought back Anubis with the help of the Shadowed One, and that was that. The amount of living sacrifices needed for that were...staggering.

Anubis scared her. Silarial was a Makuta, and as such, didn't fear much, but Anubis honestly terrified her. She could hardly be in the same room as him, even when her father was around. On the rare occasions she passed him in the hallways of the Brotherhood fortress, her armor seemed to compress upon her, tightening up from the fear that always made an iron grip on her whenever he was so much as mentioned.

She didn't like being afraid.

But damn her fear, she wasn't going to just let him destroy all that she and her brethren had worked for. The northern region would go to the Shadowed One. The middle region would go to Teridax. And the southern region would go to Anubis, once the Grand Master Plan for Defeating the Toa was completed and put into action. She pitied the people of the southern region with a passion.

That was her other weakness. She pitied lesser creatures that an ordinary Makuta would simply ignore.

Anubis was cordial enough when she confronted him. Silarial, as stated, was a Makuta; she had no tangible body inside of the armor that housed her spirit. But the politeness in his tone caused her metaphorical blood to run cold. Once again, her armor seemed to constrict on her, and she found it hard to breathe again.

He may have taken the shape of a Toa, but that was where the resemblance ended. No TRUE Toa would be so immeasurably cruel as he was.

"You sound like a former subordinate of mine," he informed her. "Typhon Itami, my Fearmaker. He used to approach me about the slaughter of innocents as well. And he paid dearly for it each time."

Silarial glared at him. "He was right to do so," she snarled. "You can't just wipe out all the life in your regions, my father'll never let you. You're supposed to watch over them and keep them in line, not slaughter them!"

He ignored her to continue. "Yes, Typhon was an odd one indeed...did you know, I almost thought I had him at the last? I truly thought he would kill Vakama Metru when they battled in Mount Valamai, but the stupid fool chose instead to die for Nokama. He never saw it my way. However..."

The Painmaker smirked suddenly, and a blast of power burst from the hook that replaced his left hand, sending her flying across the room with a sharp crack against the wall. She landed on her feet, but before she could react, he had crossed the room with impossible speed and grabbed the front of her armor.

If she moved, it would come off, and the only thing keeping her spirit from flying to pieces would be gone. Naturally, she fell completely still. The only thing that moved were her blue eyes, which flicked, terrified, from the hand clenching the front of her armor to the red eyes which were frighteningly close to her own.

Anubis smirked again, and Silarial had the feeling of being the Gukko bird before the hungry Muaka. Predator and prey. Like most Makuta, she had no faith in Mata Nui, but she found herself praying to him now to make this nightmarish thing go away and never darken her life again.

"Unlike Typhon," the Painmaker whispered, hand twitching slightly; she whimpered. "Unlike Typhon, you SHALL see it my way, Silarial. I can promise you that."

He shoved her down, aimed a kick to her breastplate which, amazingly, dented the metal and knocked the wind out of her, and then left the room, humming absentmindedly.

X x X x X

**AN: I've been reading a lot of psychological thrillers, predominantly books by Mary Higgins Clark, recently. She's always been one of my favorite authors, and the book I just finished re-reading of hers, **_**You Belong to Me**_**, is one of my favorites. Totally a good read, and rather inspiring indeed.**

**Unfortunately, I lost the Word document in which I had written the requests I owe people while cleaning up my hard drive. As a result, can everyone who I owe something to please tell me what I owe them? I know I owe **_**Lady Seraph**_** something (which WILL get done, bear with me please), but other than that, my memory's sort of blanking out on me. Thanks!**

**Review and request, please!**


	24. Tahu, Kopaka, and Gali, You Got Mail 4

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-Four**

**Title: You Got Mail #4**

**Requested by: **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** and I have very similar minds, and randomly decided to get another one done.**

**Pairing: Tahu/Gali, Vakama/Nokama, Pohatu/Reha...yeah.**

**Prompt: "Tips for girls", "gumball machine", "ALLAH'S LOVE IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO BLASPHEME!"**

**Characters: Krekka, Tuyet, Nidhiki, Pohatu, Reha (OC), Tahu, Vakama, Gali, Kopaka, Nokama, Lhikan**

**Warning: The usual dumbassery that goes on when teenagers get ahold of the internet.**

X x X x X

To: Undertow18

From: Krekka2000

Subject: LOSER!

So it has come to my attention that you have been stood up. By Lhikan, no less.

...BAHAHAHAHAHA I LAUGH AT YOU!

Sucks to be you!

--Krekka

X x X

To: Krekka2000

From: Undertow18

Subject: Douchebag.

Shut up. Or I'll throw you down the stairs after Lhikan.

--Tuyet

X x X

To: Cloudrunner8

From: Krekka2000

Subject: (no subject)

Nidhiki, Tuyet called me a douchebag! Punish her or something!

--Krekka

X x X

To: Krekka2000

From: Cloudrunner8

Subject: RE: (no subject)

Why should I? It's the truth, isn't it?

--Nidhiki

X x X

To: Ride-The-Lightning

From: DesertLove64

Subject: My DARLING

Uh, Reha dear, can you lend me 10 dollars? I have a bill I need to pay off.

--Pohatu

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: Ride-The-Lightning

Subject: Uh, my little pooky-pie?

I used my last 20 to buy the new _Dorothy of Oz_ manhwa, darling. Only 9 bucks are left, but I suppose I can make a loan. You'll have to pay me back, of course.

--Reha

X x X

To: Ride-The-Lightning

From: DesertLove64

Subject: No no no, you're doing it wrong

Thank you, my darling, I think I shall have to marry you. I hope you don't mind if the ring's from the gumball machine in Mata Nui's office.

As for payment, STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE, I'll be right over with some whipped cream.

--Pohatu

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: Ride-The-Lightning

Subject: Oh shut up.

I prefer diamonds, actually. And come anywhere near me with whipped cream and you'll be sorry. But come on over anyway, I'm bored.

--Reha

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Jerk!

You stole my matches, AND my Chinese firework-thing! I demand retribution!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: What?

But I'm broke. And anyway, you have about a million and one of those things, why should you want "retribution" as you call it?

Besides, Onewa needed them for his prank yesterday.

And why are you e-mailing me when your room's right next to mine? Couldn't you just come over and talk to me or something?

--Vakama

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: BLASPHEMY!

I HATE you.

--Tahu

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: LOL

So, what about that crash assembly, eh? The mood was completely ruined by Tahu standing up in the middle of Teridax's speech and screaming, "BLASPHEMY! You shall all suffer the Hadood!" and then storming out.

Lewa yelling, "LIES!" when Whenua was pronounced one of the "dead in a car crash" kinda ruined it too. Even though it was hilarious, now everyone in our row all have detention.

BLAH.

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: KingofIce

Subject: ROFLCOPTER

I like how they do these every year and STILL expect people to believe in it. Annoying as hell.

Hadood? What the hell is that? I had my iPod on the whole time, so I missed a lot.

I say we pull a de Medici and poison them. Assassination, you know.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: ROFLMAO (beat that)

I'm not too sure what the "Hadood" is, only that it's like Muslim or something. Tahu's being mean and won't tell me.

Kopaka! That's mean! They're our friends, how could you poison them?!

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: KingofIce

Subject: LULZ (there)

He's just being stupid because he's mad about Vakama stealing his precious matches three weeks in a row. That, and he likes you but doesn't want you to know just yet. Whoops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that.

Fine, we'll be French and use a guillotine.

--Kopaka

PS: Can you not tell him I blabbed about his "secret" crush? I'd rather not have to deal with another one of his tirades.

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: BLAH

He DOESN'T like me, Kopaka. I'm not his type, no matter how much I wish I were. He likes loud, wild girls, like Sakura. Do you know how many times I've caught him ogling her butt?

...I have no witty retort to that...

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: KingofIce

Subject: Stop being emo

Do you know how many times I've caught him ogling your FACE? Sakura's a whore, referenced by the fact that she gets a new boyfriend every week. And Tahu would rather look at your face than Sakura's ass AND chest, so there. Stop being so insecure. Amusing as it is to watch you blush around him, confidence is a hell of a lot more attractive.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: You're an idiot.

Congrats, dumbass. We all have detention because of you. Next time you feel like starting a rebellion, wait until it's not Teridax you're interrupting.

And ask Gali out already, it's annoying watching you two skirt around each other.

--Kopaka

X x X

To: KingofIce

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: ALLAH'S LOVE IS NOT FOR THOSE WHO BLASPHEME!

Not my fault they're all blasphemers. I was just letting them know. Besides, you don't do SQUAT in detention, I've had it before. The teachers falls asleep in like two minutes, so we can just chill. Haha, chill, get it, Frosty?

..you told her I like her, didn't you? Next time I see you, I am gonna MURDER you.

--Tahu

PS: I need the answers to the history homework.

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Girl problems

How do you ask a girl out? I am in need of major assistance here, so don't let me down!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: You're at that age already?

Just go up to her and ask her if she wants to see a movie with you or something. Then later, tell her she's really great and all that. Just don't tell her she's hot or that you think she's sexy or make some lame pick-up line (i.e. "You remind me of Pokémon. I just wanna peek-at-chu!"); you'll get slapped.

--Vakama

X x X

To: Kikanalo-Rider

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: Hey there

Are you feeling any better? I heard you were pretty sick, so I'm just checking up on you. Want to go see a movie or something when you're better?

--Vakama

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: Kikanalo-Rider

Subject: Certainly

I'm feeling much better, thanks. Still coughing a bit, but otherwise I'm good. Which movie were you thinking of? I'd like to see _Speed Racer_, if that's alright with you. I was a big fan of that show when I was a kid.

See you around!

--Nokama

X x X

To: UltimateInferno

From: Cloudrunner8

Subject: (no subject)

So, how's the leg doing? Really, what WERE you thinking, throwing yourself down the stairs like that? Moron!

--Nidhiki

X x X

To: Cloudrunner8

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: I'M GONNA EAT YOUR CHILDREN

Eh, I've been better. Don't criticize me about this, desperate times call for even more desperate measures! There was no way I was going to be stuck alone with Tuyet for a few hours. Why don't YOU try it, eh? God knows you've been trying to get a girlfriend since middle school...

--Lhikan

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: KingofIce

Subject: I'm atheist.

Well, I wouldn't HAVE to tell her if you would just do so yourself. It would make things so much easier, dumbass. She's been getting kind of desperate.

So if she tries to rape you in the bathroom tomorrow or something, I totally claim credit.

--Kopaka

PS: I'll give it to you tomorrow.

PPSS: You've been playing too much World of Warcraft.

X x X

**AN: There's that...and then I've been informed that I have a Jaller/Hahli quest to do, so next one will be that.**

**Tahu's...Muslim references are from **_**World of Warcraft**_**, I believe. **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** plays it on our friend's account sometimes, and I'm pretty sure that's where he got the quotes from. He's not giving me any direct answers at the moment, as right now he is busy attempting to maim and kill a level 9 Mr. Game & Watch on Brawl and would rather scream "ULTIMATE ATTACK!" than talk to me. Bah.**

**The pick-up line Vakama used as a guide for what-NOT-to-do-when-picking-up-chicks is one that's been used on me before. The idiot who did the using got socked in the gut two seconds later. Honestly...who comes up with some of these? The best one I've ever heard, however, is one that my friend came up with, involving the state of Alabama.**

**The car crash assembly Gali mentions is a regular occurrence at my school, and IT SUCKS.**

**Remember my one other story, **_**The Points of Bad Fanfiction**_**? Sakura is from there. She's my Mary Sue Toa of...Something. Yes.**

**Review and request!**


	25. Toa Metru, Smashing

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-Five**

**Title: Smashing**

**Requested by: Tylterra**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Super Smash Bros. Brawl"**

**Characters: Matau, Onewa, Nuju, Whenua**

**Warning: The Toa Metru are playing a real life video game, and Whenua owns as Princess Peach.**

X x X x X

"OWNED!" screamed Matau as he mashed the buttons of his controller. Next to him on the couch, Onewa growled as his onscreen character went flying and did what is commonly known as the "Team Rocket Defense". "This sucks," the Stone Toa said grumpily. "I'm never gonna win."

"That's what you get for using Snake!" Matau admonished, making his character, Pit, do a taunt ("The fight is on!"). "He's cheap, dude."

Onewa grumbled again, and passed the controller over to Nuju, who immediately chose Meta Knight as his character. Matau grinned. "Get ready to lose, snowcone!"

Before they could press the start button, however, Whenua walked into the room. "Hey, you're playing Brawl? Awesome, I wanna play too!"

Matau hooked up a third controller and Whenua took a seat on the couch beside Onewa. His character choice, however, got a few odd looks and a laugh from Matau.

The Earth Toa merely shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Don't judge a character till you've seen what they can do. After all, you've never played against Nokama when she uses Zelda, have you?"

"She beat him as Jigglypuff." Onewa told him. "Eleven games to two."

Matau scowled. "That Rest move's cheap too!" he snapped. "If she hadn't done that so many times, I would've won!"

"And Vakama always chooses Marth..." Onewa shook his head. "Figures he'd choose the gallant hero with the tiara...and the cheap-ass counterattack..."

"Are we ever going to play?" Nuju interrupted, and Matau hurriedly pressed start, eager to get going.

The stage was chosen (Final Destination), and the brawl began. Matau / Pit zipped over to Nuju / Meta Knight and began to swing his blades crazily. Nuju / Meta Knight countered with a quick sword slice that sent Matau / Pit up into the air.

They sprang apart as a capsule fell between them, and proceeded to fight bodily for it, Matau / Pit coming out the winner. Smirking, he threw it up into the air.

BOOM.

Onewa snorted, Nuju smirked, and Whenua stared as the capsule exploded on the winged archer onscreen, sending him flying and giving him a good 32 damage percentage points. Matau scowled and began to attack again.

Five minutes later, Matau by now gripping his controller hard enough to break it, they were both severely damaged. Nuju and Matau glared at each other as they slowly edged their characters forward, neither willing to get too close just yet.

Closer...even closer...maybe an arrow would finish Meta Knight off? Not likely but it was worth a shot--

CLANG! POK!

It was two dumbfounded Toa who stared at the television screen, both their characters having been KO'd in the space of about half a second. Meta Knight hit the front of the screen while Pit did the Team Rocket Defense, and onscreen, Princess Peach began a little dance. _"Lalalalalala!"_

"_GAME!"_ the announcer shouted, and Nuju and Matau turned to stare at Whenua, who had put his controller down and was now walking out of the room while Onewa roared with laughter.

"_This game's winner...PEACH!"_

"_Oh, did I win?"_ Peach asked onscreen.

Matau turned around and grumpily switched the Wii off. "That's it, I'm playing Banjo-Kazooie."

"Sore loser." Onewa snorted.

X x X x X

**AN: Actually, this was supposed to be Number 26. But I got this one done before the Jaller/Hahli one, but I SWEAR that one will be next. I just dunno what to do for it T-T**

**I love **_**Banjo-Kazooie**_**. It almost surpasses my love for the **_**Smash Bros.**_** series. Seriously, I am PISSED that Nintendo sold Rare to fucking Microsoft. -hates Xbox, but not just because of that- There's a new BK game coming out, but I'm not letting my brother get it. NINTENDO 64 FOR THE WIN, YEAH! (Gamecube and Wii not withstanding, because I love my 'cube and my Wii.)**

**Anyway, enjoy the crack.**

**Review and request!**


	26. Jaller and Hahli, Symbology

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-Six**

**Title: Symbology**

**Requested by: ...er, who DID request this one?**

**Pairing: Jaller/Hahli**

**Prompt: "Symbology of roses" (thank you, **_**Kristine-sama**_**!)**

**Characters: Jaller, Hahli**

**Warning: I happen to be fascinated by symbology, and so used it here. In the form of roses. Yes. You'd be surprised what some flowers can symbolize...**

X x X x X

The first flower he gave her was a yellow rose. She was slightly disappointed, as yellow roses meant platonic love, or even dying love. Or even jealousy and infidelity. She was pretty sure it meant platonic love though, and gritted her teeth. She wasn't going to be put off by a mere _rose's color_. No, Hahli was too determined for that.

The second one he gave her was a green rose, which meant calmness. She supposed this was more humorous, as she had had a bit of a tantrum a few minutes before, and managed a small smile. "Dork." she told him, and Jaller grinned.

The third one was a dark pink rose. Dark pink meant gratitude. Gratitude for what, though? For being his friend? Again, the feelings of disappointment returned.

The fourth one she received was delivered by a mischievously grinning Macku, who made sure to give her a tease before she left. This time, Hahli's heart missed a beat. Light pink. Admiration. If it was true...wait, what would she do if it WERE true? She wasn't even sure he knew what the colors MEANT.

The fifth one was a bit late in coming, as the Rahkshi attacked soon after he had given her the light pink one, and they were busy just trying to survive. And he wasn't the one to give the rose. She was. She laid the white rose down on his grave, and hoped he'd know what it meant. Purity. Even if she and he were never what she wished they could be, and now never would be, she would remain as pure as possible. For him. No one but him should have been allowed to have her, and she would keep it that way.

Next to the white rose was the sixth, a blue one. Blue meant mystery. She had no idea if he felt more for her, and felt that the blue rose might convey the question better. Standing in front of his empty mask, she rather found that speech was beyond her.

The seventh rose was black. Slavish devotion. When she took his mask off its honorary pedestal, she left the black rose there in its place. She would do anything for him, and she knew he would have wanted to be there when his best friend saved the world.

The eighth rose was one he gave her this time, not the other way around, and it was purple. Protection. He was back from the dead, thanks to the Makuta, and she didn't know why he thought she needed protecting, but apparently he did. She accepted the rose with a smile and put it in a vase full of water.

The next day, a burgundy rose and a yellow one with red tips were left on her doormat. Numbers nine and ten. Hahli's face lit up with a bright blush when she picked them up, staring at their perfect, still opening, petals. Beauty and falling in love. Could it really be?

The day they left for Metru Nui, Kai came running up to her, carrying something in one hand. Even before the spunky Ga-Matoran gave it to her, Hahli knew what it was and who it was from. Trembling slightly, she took it and studied its color, trying to remember...passion, that was it. The eleventh rose was orange, and orange symbolized passion. She smiled, even as her cheeks heated up. The next rose would be from her.

Rose number twelve was pink. Jaller came in for a lot of teasing when it was delivered, she heard, but at least she had given it to him. She liked pink roses. Neither dark nor light, just pink. Grace, and gentle feelings of love. She hoped he took the hint and gave her the right answer.

Five months later, when they returned to Metru Nui as the Toa Mahri, Hewkii carrying Matoro's dead body in his arms, Jaller stopped by the road as they made their way up to the main city from the dock. He was leaning over something, but the sun was in Hahli's eyes, and she couldn't tell what it was, although she heard rustling. A few minutes after, he was jogging to catch up to them, holding something in one hand. Shyly, he offered it to her, and she took it, staring into his eyes.

This rose, the thirteenth one exchanged between them, was red.

"Red roses symbolize true love." she told him.

"I know." he replied. "That's why I gave it to you."

"Does this mean...?"

"I'm pretty sure it does."

Hahli smiled and pulled him close to her, wrapping her arms around his neck and laying her head on his shoulder. His arms wrapped around her waist and he simply held her as the sun went down behind them.

Roses always were her favorite flower, and now they had even more reason to be so.

X x X x X

**AN: Sorry for lack of updates, but there's some pretty bad stuff going on in my family right now; bad as in my dad's threatening to disown me. Hopefully we'll get that settled tonight, as he says he wants to talk to me, but all the same...**

**Anyway, I hope you liked that one! I had no idea for a prompt for it, and my sister Kristine, who happens to be way into gardening and flowers and such, offered to give me one. I quite like it though, so yeah.**

**Review and request!**


	27. Toa Metru, Heart Swap

**Number Twenty-Seven**

**Title: Heart Swap**

**Requested by: Tylterra**

**Pairing: Squick of Vakama/Nokama, because I haven't written anything on them in ages and I'm DYING.**

**Prompt: "Manaphy's Heart Swap"**

**Characters: Vakama, Onewa, Whenua, Nuju, Nokama, Matau**

**Warning: The Toa Metru have switched bodies, because Manaphy is an ass and always switches people's bodies for fun. Sure, it was hilarious the first time on Brawl, but after a while, **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** and I weren't too sure just who was Meta Knight and who was Ike anymore. Either way, the Latios that I got right before we were switched back attacked us both, so...**

X x X x X

He just HAD to go and open that dimensional portal, didn't he? Just because you CAN open dimensional portals doesn't necessarily mean you SHOULD, after all. Too bad no one told Matau that, because Nuju was seriously hating his life right now.

Of all the people that stupid little squeaky blue thing had to switch him with, WHY did it have to be WHENUA?!

He squinted at the ground, studying his new body badtemperedly. Big. And clumsy. He was used to a skinnier, more agile body. This bigger, klutzier one didn't suit him in the least bit.

"Don't touch anything," he snapped at Matau, who immediately retracted his hand from the thing he'd been about to touch. As the Air Toa whined, Nuju reflected on how weird it was to hear THAT voice coming from HIS body.

"But I'm BORED!" Matau whined, the eyepiece on Nuju's mask narrowing at its true owner. "There's nothin' t'do till we get back to normal!"

"That's not my problem," Nuju snarled, but was interrupted.

"Now, now..." the brown Toa behind him said, holding up both hands to negotiate peace, "there's no need for that, Nuju. He's just hyper again, right Matau?"

"You don't know how weird it is to see Onewa trying to keep the peace instead of debating whether or not to start selling tickets, Vakama." Nuju muttered, and Vakama in Onewa's body grinned sheepishly. Meanwhile, an outburst from across the room broke out, distracting their attention.

"STOP TRYING TO HIT ON ME IN MY OWN BODY!"

"...crap. I forgot. We're ALL switched, not just me--"

"Exactly, and if you don't keep my hands off of myself, I'm gonna MURDER you!"

The blue Toa's mouth twisted into an evil grin. "Are you sure you wouldn't wanna see Vak's hands on you, even if you weren't in your body at the time?"

"O-Onewa!" Vakama protested, his mask now bright red, "Th-that's inappropriate--"

"Oh give it a rest, you prude," Onewa snapped. "You've got nothing to complain about, you're in MY body, and I'm the best of the Toa Metru, if I do say so myself. _I_, on the other hand, have every reason to complain."

"And those reasons are...?" Nuju asked, raising a brow.

"I'M IN A GIRL'S BODY!" Onewa shrieked, drawing himself up to his full height (which wasn't much anymore). "Do you know what this is doing to my self esteem?!"

"Think of it this way: you're getting an all new experience!" the green Toa next to him grinned and clapped a hand on his shoulder, and Onewa glared at him. "That's all good and well for YOU to say, Whenua!" he snarled.

"By the way, I like your posture." Whenua's deep voice coming from Matau's body was one thing, but the slow, measured way he spoke made it all the stranger.

"Really? Thanks, I was always told I had really bad posture--"

"It makes you look even more like a girl!"

Onewa scowled and socked him in the gut. "You suck, Whenua."

"Alright, as surrogate Vakama, I command you to figure out a way to switch us back!" Nokama took charge of the situation with surprising efficiency. Watching her, Vakama gave a sigh. What he wouldn't give to have his OWN voice coming out of his mouth, instead of her high-pitched one. And Onewa said HIS self esteem was in danger...it also didn't help that her general posture was undeniably, fixedly _feminine_. Not to mention it was rather weird to be thinking of her while she was in HIS body...

"Don't you think I'm trying?!" Nuju hissed at her. "I can't find anythi-- MATAU METRU STOP!"

Too late. The entire observatory was engulfed in thick greenish-yellow smoke that smelled of rotten eggs, and the six mixed-up Toa coughed and hacked and choked accordingly, eyes watering.

"WHENUA, DO SOMETHING!" Onewa howled, waving his arms wildly.

"What do you want ME to do?!" Whenua cried, pinching his nose. "It's not like I can just say, 'GO AWAY, SMOKE!' and make it go away!"

"YOU'RE IN MATAU'S BODY!" Nuju screamed, startling them both into silence. "BLOW IT AWAY, IDIOT!"

"Oh, right," Whenua said sheepishly and summoned a great breath. Trying not to cough from the taste of the smoke (he had never realized just how attuned to the air Matau was - he could even taste the quality of it!), he blew as hard as he could, blasting the majority of the smoke out the window into the cold Ko-Metru air. A second later, yells and cries came from the Matoran outside who were caught in the dispelled smoke.

"It's no use," Nokama said dramatically, and Vakama winced again as her voice took on an even higher pitch. Oh Mata Nui, he would never be able to live this one down... "We have to go see Turaga Dume! He should know what to do..."

"If we could just catch that little--" Here Onewa said a word that is generally frowned upon by parents everywhere, "we could FORCE it to turn us back!"

"This is YOUR fault!" Nuju snapped at Matau, who quailed. "If you hadn't--"

"Nuju, there's no need for that." Vakama was suddenly in their midst, again holding his hands out placatingly. "Everyone makes mistakes, and Matau _won't do it again_, RIGHT, Matau?"

Matau nodded vigorously, trying not to wince as Vakama's arm encircled his neck rather threateningly.

"Now," Vakama said, eyes flashing. "I want that little snot found, _and I want it found now_."

"Oh great, now his inner dominatrix's coming out," Onewa muttered to Whenua. He sniffed. "Guess the delight of finding out he's in MY body was too much for him..."

Whenua snorted. "So modest."

Onewa shrugged. "Eh, well, it's a change from seeing Matau whip that mirror of his out every five minutes to check his armor..."

X x X x X

**AN: I seem to be losing my ability to be funny D: But, I'm sort of under a TAD bit of pressure right now, so I think I can be forgiven. Anyway, that was **_**Tylterra's**_** request out of the way...next up is Icarax/Silarial, for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**! I think I'm gonna have fun with that one...oh the things that can be with a prompt like "awkward moment"...**

**I've also got one from **_**Arya-Metru**_** that I should have gotten done like forever ago, so that'll be Number Twenty-Nine.**

**This might be my last upload for a while though, as I'm moving on Friday, but rest assured, I'm not disappearing forever. It'll just take some time for me to get a set internet connection.**

**Also, I have a bunch of manga that I'm selling. If you're interested in possibly buying, go to my deviantART page, chaos-master .deviantart .com (just take the spaces out) for more details. PLEASE BUY SOMETHING, AS I HAVE NO DESIRE TO KEEP ALL THAT CRAP WITH ME WHEN I MOVE.**

**Review and request, please!**


	28. Icarax and Silarial, Awkward Argument

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-Eight**

**Title: Awkward Argument  
**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Icarax/Silarial (my OC)**

**Prompt: "Argument", "awkward moment"...I think I'm gonna have fun with this XD**

**Characters: Icarax, Silarial (OC), Gorast, Mutran, Chirox**

**Warning: Icarax and OC pairing setting is now officially ON. Not to mention some awkwardness between them, as he tends to one-up her frequently, despite her best efforts XD Also some very slight innuendo, although it's just barely there. Enjoy!**

X x X x X

Arguing was totally an art form.

Totally.

Ask Icarax. He knew all about arguing, as he did it nearly every day with quite a few of his business associates. He argued with Teridax over the plans that each wanted to execute, and these usually ended with the two attempting to assassinate the other and failing to do so, as their blasts of power were canceled out as they met in the air.

His arguments with Gorast over who was the bigger asset to the organization usually ended with her ripping out her weapon and attempting to impale him on it. He usually managed to dodge, but there WAS that one time she'd actually gotten him and he'd had to go to Mutran to get patched up...

And speaking of Mutran, his arguments with said Makuta were nothing short of hilarious. The last one had resulted in a veritable flood of highly corrosive liquid bursting out of the usually locked laboratory doors, and business had ground to a halt while the damaged areas were painstakingly repaired.

He liked to think he won all the arguments with Vamprah, as Vamprah just didn't talk. It's hard to argue when you don't talk, right?

What he didn't get was why Teridax's kid daughter (she was only like, two thousand! And only just barely!) insisted upon bothering him so much. Everything was, "I'm making sure you don't try to take over my father's organization!" or "My father told me to watch over you!" or "Icarax you dolt, if you keep that up I will kill you myself!"

(Like she could kill him!)

He retaliated by calling her a daddy's girl, because seriously, she so was. Silarial, of course, denied this vigorously, stomping her feet and making a small crater in the floor.

Icarax grinned at her during this, their eighth argument of the week (and it was only Wednesday), and remarked, "And that's another thing: everything about you is undersized. If it had been ME stomping just now, that crater there would be at LEAST four times as big."

Silarial scowled angrily. She was very touchy about her size, but it wasn't HER fault the armor her father had put her in was so small, right? "I am not undersized," she snapped. "You are simply oversized and as such, see me as undersized."

He snorted. Trust her to come up with something like that. "Right. Come off it, Silarial, you're almost as short as a Toa."

"Hmm, I'll take that as a compliment, since weren't you BEATEN by a Toa of Water?" she shot back, and his eyes glowed red as he remembered the tidal wave Gali Nuva had summoned against him.

"I was not BEATEN by her," he informed her stiffly. "Keep in mind that I successfully subdued her entire team and was by then slightly weary from all the fighting they made me do. Not to mention she took me by surprise."

"Tch!" Silarial tut-tutted, shaking her head with a smirk. "Excuses will get you nowhere."

"How about you?" he shot back. "You almost died because a stone door on Voya Nui fell on you! Like father like daughter, I suppose..."

She blushed at that, really blushed. He just HAD to bring up the worst moment of her life, didn't he? "If Father couldn't handle it, then how could I?!"

"That door must have weighed a lot if it did that to your father," Icarax said, obviously enjoying how annoyed she was getting. Not to mention how impossibly EASY she was to bait.

"No more than YOU do, fatty!"

Oh that did it. Makuta Icarax could take a lot in his stride, but if there was one thing he would not put up with, it was being called fat by a scrawny undersized female who was incapable of producing Rahkshi without fainting afterwards!

He decided to practice being a door and promptly fell right on top of her, causing her to shriek as they hit the floor. "So, am I as heavy as that door that fell on you?" he asked mildly as Silarial struggled underneath him, trying to push him off to no avail.

"Get OFF!" she snarled, eyes flashing red as she tried to free her arms, but NOOOO, they were trapped, caught between her chest and his. The result was her fist banging rather weakly against his breastplate, as the only thing she could really move was her wrist.

"No, I think I'm rather comfortable here." Icarax replied, smirking. "Hey, you're so small I barely feel you down there!"

"Ice heart! Karzahni spawn!" she shrieked, still raging.

He raised a brow. "...is that really the best you can do?"

She broke off for a moment and seemed to think. Then, an expression of hopelessness on her face, she muttered, "Kolhii head."

He laughed then, really and truly laughed. Uproariously, even. He laughed so hard she could feel the vibrations from his body into hers. "You know, with that mouth, you just might be promoted to the front lines sometime soon! Where'd you learn those, eh?"

"Forgive me if I haven't been off Destral for over a thousand years," Silarial muttered, bright red once again. She hated the fact that he had the ability to make her blush so easily. Mostly it was because he could turn her own words on her without any effort at all, but at other times, it was for other reasons. Not like she'd ever admit that, though. "Now get off of me."

"Like I said, I'm rather comfortable right where I am."

"Evil spawn!"

"...you do realize that's more or less a compliment for me, right?"

Silarial didn't get a chance to respond, as the door to the meeting room opened at that point, and Mutran entered, obviously looking for something. He froze when he noticed them lying there on the floor, Icarax on top and Silarial beneath him, before his face broke out into a smug grin.

"Am I interrupting anything?" he asked, one brow raised.

"Yes you are." Icarax told him before Silarial could say a word. She gave a moan when he spoke though. Great Spirits above, did he have any idea of the implications in that statement?! "So go away. I'm busy."

"I'm sure you are." Mutran snorted and grabbed a sheaf of papers off the nearest table. "Have fun!" They could hear him laughing uproariously down the hallway even after he had slammed the door shut.

"Alright, back to the argument, Silarial...Silarial? What on Destral are you doing?"

Icarax raised a brow, smiling uncertainly, as Silarial was now banging her head against the floor as hard as she could under the circumstances.

"What does it look like?" she asked, opening one eye and squinting at him badtemperedly. "Trying to kill myself. That way, if anyone else comes in and sees you on top of me, they can tell my father that you murdered me and he'll kill you, and--"

"And I'll get to bother you for the rest of eternity as a spirit!" he grinned and she gave another frustrated moan before renewing her attempts at bashing the back of her head in.

She was largely unsuccessful, although she DID manage to put a large dent in her armor, something several other members of the Brotherhood commented on later that day. But when asked how she had acquired it, Silarial went a fiery red and wouldn't answer.

Icarax, on the other hand, looked much too pleased with himself when asked the same question, and merely smiled at the one doing the asking, telling them it was a secret.

"I'm not so sure I WANT to know anymore..." Chirox was heard to whisper to Gorast after that. Gorast agreed. Who knew what went through the mind of the boss's second-in-command? Some things really WEREN'T fit for the ears of the general public, and she had a feeling that this was one of them.

This didn't stop her from teasing Silarial about it every now and again, though.

X x X x X

**AN: I had way too much fun with that one. I freaking LOVE awkward moments. Funnily enough, I was listening to Smash Mouth's "All Star" while writing this XD The first verse ("Somebody once told me the world is gonna roll me; I ain't the sharpest tool in the shed. She was lookin' kind of dumb with her finger and her thumb in the shape of an 'L' on her forehead!") was also a big inspiration for this.**

**But I sort of need to get back to studying now, so yeah, bye. I HAVE to pass Economy...although, even if I fail a class, they can't keep me from graduating, because I have almost a hundred more credits than I actually need. Don't ask me how that happened, because I'm not sure either. But it works to my advantage, so I'm not complaining!**

**Review and request, please!**


	29. Typhon and Isis, Irony

Number Fifteen

**Number Twenty-Nine**

**Title: Irony**

**Requested by: Arya-Metru**

**Pairing: Typhon/Isis (mine and **_**Arya-Metru's**_** OCs, respectively), Typhon/Nokama (onesided only, though)**

**Prompt: "Abuse", "rescue", "tough love"**

**Characters: Typhon, Isis, Anubis, Sylvaticus, Hera, Hestia, Set, Osiris, Nokama (I own all except Isis and Nokama, obviously)**

**Warning: This chapter has some **_**sort of**_** messed up stuff in it, as it deals with a deranged psychopath who has a daughter. I haven't written about the Toa Itami (other than that oneshot for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**) since 2006, when I was still writing **_**The Painmaker**_**...wow. It's been a while.**

**By the way, this corresponds more with the universe **_**Arya-Metru**_** and I have going on rather than the canonical one. In canon, a Toa of Water named Helryx was the first ever; in my universe (which, mind you, I created two and a half years before Helryx was ever introduced, so all biters go to hell), a Toa of Air named Sylvaticus is the first ever. Go read the last few chapters of my fic **_**The Painmaker**_** for an exact description of how things were, I'm not going to bother here.**

X x X x X

There are noises in the night that Typhon can't ignore sometimes. Screaming in pain, sobbing, the sound of a hand meeting flesh. Sometimes the sound of a knife slicing across flesh. He is very familiar with all these sounds, being a member of the most evil of Toa teams out there, but even still...

Perhaps it is the fact that Isis always shies away from his touch when he reaches out for her. Perhaps it is in the way Anubis looks at him for daring to look at his daughter. Typhon thinks this is unfair. Anubis does not love his daughter, so why should he care who she is with?

He is much older than Isis is, about eight standard years. He was there when Anubis stole her away from her mother, the legendary Toa Sylvaticus, the first Toa ever. He knows what Anubis did to Sylvaticus, although at the time he was too young to understand it. He remembers seeing Anubis's triumphant face and seeing the broken form of the Toa Origina of Air on the ground, although when she raised her head and glared up at the Chaos Monster, there were no tears in those red eyes.

Nine months later, there were two girls born. Isis and Artemis, although Anubis only succeeded in snatching Isis. Sylvaticus was able to hide Artemis away and, they later learned, changed her name to something else. Give her to different parents to raise so that she could grow up to be, dare he think it, _good_. Meanwhile, Isis grew up with them, the Toa Itami.

They do not live on Metru Nui for their training and raising. Another, much smaller island is where Anubis chooses to train and raise them. It is quite near Metru Nui, so that when the sun comes up, one can see it as a silhouette on the horizon. He trains them hard all day, and they sleep perhaps six to seven hours a night before he has gotten them up again for another long day's work.

Typhon sees the bruises on eight year old Isis Itami now, and although he himself is only sixteen, knows there must be something he can do. He is twice her age, and very young himself, so what does he know? Probably nothing. But he has to try. Those bruises aren't ALL from training. It's so obvious, and no one does anything to hide it.

He sits next to her and watches her as she watches the wind blow across the ocean, making odd ripples and waves. Her coloring is black, with blue pieces, and yet, he can see the bruises easily. It's not hard to figure out what goes on here.

"Hi." he says simply. She turns to look at him out of huge blue eyes - they're almost too big for her face, he notes - and stares. "Hi."

"Er..." Suddenly, he's at a loss for words. "...are you alright?"

Isis is silent for a moment, sizing him up. Here is the Toa of Shadow her father keeps in his employ. He and the others are young, not one of them is fully grown just yet, but none are as young as she.

Typhon's coloring is black and violet, with bright red eyes. He is skinny, yet his build suggests, even to her, a mere child, that when he is fully grown his form will be pleasing. He is the one whose eyes she sometimes hates, because when he sees her each morning, they are filled with so much pity. No one likes to be pitied, least of her.

"...I'm fine." she tells him, and wills herself to mean it. But she cannot forget the dreams she's been having, the dreams she knows will someday come true. There are certain powers the small Toa of Destruction inherited from her mother, and precognition is one of them.

"I'm glad." he says simply, and leans back. They are silent again, and then she decides to tell him what the future has in store for him - for _them._

"I'm going to marry you someday."

Typhon laughs out loud when she tells him this, really laughs. "You, marry ME?" he asks. "Not a chance. Marriage is not on the agenda for any of us, sorry to ruin your fantasies." His voice is full of the cockiness young males can get, according to Hera.

"It's true." she says, and she's deadly serious. "We will get married someday."

"Even if I wanted to marry you, your father'd never allow it." Typhon smiles. "Nah, the only union he'd bless is the union between himself and that Blade of Order that Toa Sylvaticus has."

She rolls her eyes. "Father doesn't have to approve of everything, you know."

"Oh, but he does." he says. "What he says, goes. And he doesn't approve of you with anyone, much less me. Got it?"

Isis frowns. Why isn't he getting it? Is he really this stupid? "Why not?" she asks. "Marriage is between two people who love each other. Don't you love me?"

He can't decide which surprises him more - the question itself, or the seriousness with which it is asked. He looks at her face, and there is no smile, no joking expression. She's being dead serious.

"Er, no." he says, uncomfortable. "Not in that way, at least."

"Oh." she says, and her voice is very small. As he watches, she seems to enfold upon herself, lowering her head onto her arms, which are folded on top of her knees, which have been drawn up to her chest. "Then it won't be a happy marriage, will it?"

"No it won't, especially since it's never going to happen." he reminds her.

And then her head snaps back up, and her eyes blaze into his. "You will, though. Someday. You will love me, and you will marry me."

He smiles disbelievingly, but she is so solemn that he almost believes it. "Alright then...say I DID fall in love with you, and say we DID get married...is that what YOU would want, hm?"

After all, why should it matter if he doesn't love her or not? They're never going to be together. He is not concerned with the fantasies of an eight-year-old.

"Because." she tells him. "I love you."

"You don't know love." he tells her straight back. "Eight-year-olds don't know love; you're too young. Get over it."

"I DO know love." she insists, and he shakes his head. Her eyes are still blazing, although with anger this time. "I will have you, Typhon. You will be mine."

"Just try."

X x X

For the better part of two centuries, two centuries in which they prepared to battle Toa Sylvaticus, growing up and learning to be coldhearted killers, Typhon managed to convince himself that that late afternoon on the cliffs by the ocean of this desolate little island were a dream. Maybe a hallucination, because Isis Itami never mentions their supposed future wedlock to him again after that, and he is just fine with this. The very idea of being in love scares him.

But all of a sudden Isis isn't so little. He doesn't know when this happened, it just seemed to all of a sudden. Suddenly she is beautiful, a real woman and a strong Toa, not a skinny, bruised little girl. He doesn't know which he prefers, the little girl who he thought might have mooned after him, or this beautiful woman who makes a decidedly odd feeling come across him.

He finds himself watching her mouth when she talks, and her legs when she walks. He finds himself glancing off to the side during training, where she is sparring with Hera or Hestia, and staring at her until his opponent, usually Set or Osiris, knocks him off his feet because he has been to busy staring at someone whom he shouldn't care two hoots about.

He doesn't want to admit it, but what if his little "dream" wasn't a dream after all? What if she really DID tell him that she loved him and that, someday, he would be hers?

It is a day like this that he finds her again, and she is back on the cliff like in that dream he once had. There is a large cut on her arm, and she has made no move to bandage the profusely bleeding wound.

"You'll lose a lot of blood." he says mildly, sitting beside her. Isis turns to stare at him, and something about that stare, makes a rather pleasurable shiver go up his spine.

"I don't care." she says.

"Well, you should. You're no use to us dead."

She does not answer, but instead asks another question.

"Do you love me yet?"

He blinks, taken aback, and yet, something is coming over him. A vague excitement. "That was a dream."

Isis looks slightly annoyed. "No it wasn't, moron. Answer the question. "Do you love me yet?"

"No." Typhon snaps. He is being blunt. She has to learn that she can't have everything in life. He doesn't want her to have him.

But instead of folding in on herself like she did last time, she smirks at him, and he feels a cold sweat break out over him. "Maybe not love just yet...but you definitely like me."

"I don't." he says defensively.

"You do." she says matter-of-factly. "You can't keep your eyes off me these days. But hear me - I won't fulfill the terms of my dream unless you actually love me. Lust has nothing to do with what I really want. I want your heart as well as your body."

He clams up, deciding silence is best. And suddenly, she is in his face, and she has pushed him onto his back before he knows what is going on, and is pinning his arms down with strength that belies her form. "Maybe I should test your credibility," she says. "After all, Father always said that without proof, it's most likely false."

And then she has bent her head and taken his mouth.

It is as if someone has just punched him in the gut. Punched him hard. Because all of a sudden, nothing exists except for himself and Isis, and he is too busy tasting her to realize that he has made himself a liar.

It is she who pulls back first, and she is smirking now as he pants. Slowly, the realization dawns on him, and when it does, his face resembles nothing more than the sun at sunset. Bright red.

"I knew you were lying." she says, and he glares.

"I'm still not marrying you."

"You will." she replies. "Because it's what's going to happen anyway, so you should just relax and go with it." Her eyes are hungry as she looks at him now, still on top of him, leaning over him. HER Toa of Shadow, and no one else can have him.

"You have no right to just--"

"Shut up."

"Make me!" Typhon snarls beneath her, a spark of anger in his red eyes.

Her smirk is dangerous now. "Gladly."

What better way to keep a voice from talking than to occupy the mouth that the voice comes from with...other things?

X x X

This and more, Typhon remembers as he curls up with the captive Nokama Metru on his lap. Nokama is not his Isis, but she is enough like her for him to want her just as badly. They are both beautiful with a touch of hidden humor in them, and since his Isis is long dead and gone, he opts for Nokama instead. He longs for her to touch him the way Isis did, but she doesn't.

She fears him, and he wishes she didn't.

As his hand ghosts over her neck, she gives a shiver of nervousness, and he laughs lowly. "I will not hurt you, Nokama. Relax."

"I would be more comfortable if you would not touch me like that." she answers, trying to pull away. He tightens his grip on her, dragging her back into his lap.

"Then I will just hold you. It's cold after all. You could get sick."

She looks doubtful at this, but obviously knows better than to risk angering him, and sinks back into him. Her body is still and tense and rigid.

It is an unpleasant reminder of how his Isis's body became after she had died, yet he loves her for reminding him yet again of what he can never have again.

He does not have to pretend she is Isis. She is not Isis, she is Nokama, and she never WILL be Isis. But she is everything to him, and he clings to this tiny reminder of his Isis.

He wonders if she, too, will someday bleed to death in his arms as their tears intermingle and mix.

But deep down, he knows he cannot let go of a black Toa with blue pieces and blue eyes almost too big for her face. He cannot let go of the memory of that same Toa as a small child telling that someday they would marry and he would be hers.

He smiles coldly. It is so ironic that she spent so long chasing after him, and now it is HE who pines for HER.

X x X x X

**AN: Well, there you go, Arya. The oneshot you asked for like a month ago XD It's different from what you wanted, but I still like it...**

**I don't think I have any other requests to do, but if I owe you one, then please tell me and I'll get right on it. And either way, feel free to request something!**

**Review and request!**


	30. Nuju and Siahta, Innocence

Number Fifteen

**Number Thirty**

**Title: Innocence**

**Requested by: Plot bunny that wouldn't leave me the hell alone.**

**Pairing: Nuju/Siahta (OC)**

**Prompt: "Rain", "washed-out", "cupcake"**

**Characters: Nuju, Siahta (**_**Sylla Shadowfrost's**_** OC), Malvado (my OC), Nuju's unnamed mother**

**Warning: ANGSSSSSTTTT, character death, and canon/OC pairing. Oh, and it's AU. So there.**

X x X x X

There is a girl who stands on his street corner sometimes, a girl that no one cares about. It's not like she's anything special, after all.

Brown hair with red bangs. Small, skinny build. Bird-thin. She always stands right on the street corner, waiting for a bus that never seems to come. Once, it did while he was watching. It stopped, filling the air with smog and grimy exhaust, and the girl stepped up into it, and then the doors closed behind her, and she was gone.

The next day, she is back again, at the same time, at the same exact bus stop.

Nuju does not know why she waits for the bus at this same time every day. Every once in a while, he sees her glance at his house, as it is right on that corner, and once, he thought she might have seen him looking out his window at her.

One day, it rains. Hard. It rains so much that no matter how loud he turns up his music, no matter how hard he tries to concentrate on his homework, all he can hear is the rain pattering against the roof and walls of his house. Aggravated, he runs a hand through his pale, pale hair and goes to sit by the window again.

There she is. Standing by the bus stop, waiting for it again.

If she stays out there, she will catch her death of cold, he decides, and hurries downstairs, grabbing his umbrella and going outside to meet her.

Up close, she is even skinnier and smaller than he had initially thought, and her indigo eyes (vibrant and bright compared to the rest of her) are too big for her face. Her brown hair in a ponytail is soaking, and her red bangs are plastered to her forehead. Her clothes are absolutely saturated, and she has the washed-out look of an old shoe.

"It's raining." he tells her, and she blinks at him through the rain.

"So?" she asks.

Nuju rolls his eyes. "So you'll get sick." he says, raising his umbrella a little for emphasis. "Don't you have one of these?"

She gives a small smile. "No."

He sighs, obviously aggravated. "Why bother coming out here in this weather if you don't have an umbrella?"

"I'm going to visit my father." she tells him. "I go see him every day, regardless of the weather. Rain isn't going to stop me."

He argues with her a little more, and she shows stubbornness like you wouldn't believe, looking at her tiny form. In the end, she agrees to let him come along with her to visit her father.

The bus comes, and they get on. It is even more depressing than Nuju had originally thought, dingy and small. He and the girl share a seat while she stares out the rain soaked window, and he wonders how long this is going to take. By now, he is wishing he had just left her alone.

When the bus rolls to a stop outside the local cemetery, he feels a strange anxiety prickling at the hairs on the back of his neck.

She gets off, and he follows her, and she sets off towards the back part of the cemetery. When she finally stops and kneels down beside a grave, disregarding the mud that is getting all over her knees that her skirt is too short to cover, Nuju reads the tombstone.

The picture imprinted into it is of a kind-faced man who honestly reminds him of some sort of fox. But the smile is kind and open and the eyes are kind and open, and he can see why she comes to see him every day.

"He's not my real dad," she says quietly, staring down at it. "I don't know who my real parents are...but he took me out of the adoption center, and raised me." She smiles, remembering.

"What happened to him?" Nuju asks. The date of death on the grave marks it as having happened some seven months ago. The name is strange. "Malvado Fere".

"He just got sick." she says. "He was always grimacing, like he was in pain...but I never paid too much attention to it until he just collapsed one day. Turned out his body had just been wasting away until...well, a few months ago, he died in his sleep. I was there." She closes her eyes, and there is an expression of grief on her face.

"I'm sorry." Nuju tells her, and he means it.

She smiles at him and tells him not to worry.

He does not know her name. She does not tell him, and he doesn't ask.

X x X

Every day from then on, he meets her at the bus stop and goes to visit her father's grave with her. Sometimes, he simply stands behind her and listens to her whisper to her father's tombstone, talking to him and telling him of how her life is going. In this way, he learns a lot about her.

Since her father's death, she has lived alone in the tiny apartment they once shared. The law officials gave her a choice. Either go back to the orphanage, or live on welfare until she is legally old enough to get a job. She chose welfare.

Despite the shabby nature of her clothes and the obvious shortage of food that she has to deal with, he is not so sure he would not have chosen the same thing.

X x X

He is shocked to learn that she is not as young as he had originally thought. He himself is fifteen, and it more than surprises him to learn that she is only a year younger. She is so small, so thin and washed-out, that he thought she was maybe eleven or twelve at the oldest.

She smiles when she tells him it is her birthday, and that she is now fourteen. Nuju says nothing, but instead when they are going back to the bus stop right outside his house takes her hand, pulls her into his house, and sets about looking for something to give her. Material possessions he does not think she has any want for, despite her spartan living conditions, and so he decides that she should at least have something good to eat on her birthday.

The thing he finally chooses is something that makes him wince. It is a cupcake, one of many that his mother had bought for dessert. He is not a lover of sweet foods, and it is mostly his cousin Nokama that eats them when she comes over to see him sometimes, but now he pulls what looks like the largest one out of the container and hands it to her.

Before her eyes can widen and she can thank him, he has found the candles his mother stashed in the drawer by the microwave and has placed seven of them (they are tiny, even for candles) and lights them carefully.

Neither of them sing happy birthday. But after a minute, she blows them out, carefully picks them out of the frosting and takes a bite. The smile that slowly creeps onto her pale face makes him smile as well.

"Thank you," she tells him, and eats the rest of the cupcake.

X x X

One day, four months after that cold rainy day that he attempted to reprimand her for being out in the weather without an umbrella, she fails to show up. She does not have a telephone, so he cannot call her, but instinctively knows that something is very wrong.

For three days, he waits by the bus stop for her, finally in desperation (perhaps she got on at an earlier stop and has been waiting for him to get on the whole time?) he gets on. She is not there. He gets off, feeling disappointed and anxious.

That night, his mother switches on the news as usual. And the first report is announced.

"_Drunk driver..."_

"_Walking to the bus stop..."_

"_Killed instantly, not a hope of survival..."_

And a picture of a body covered by a white sheet on the sidewalk. The sheet is stained by blood.

Somehow, even though in all these four months he has never asked her name and indeed never knew it, he knows that this report is about her. His mother shakes her head and says how sad it is, and then asks him how his little friend is doing. They are so cute, she says. Are they dating? she asks.

He is silent for a moment before getting up and leaving her behind on the couch.

The next day, he skips school and walks the three and a half miles to the cemetery. He ignores all the other graves and merely walks to the back of the graveyard, to the familiar spot where they spent so many afternoons together, sometimes talking and sometimes in silence. He is not rich, and as such only has enough money for a single flower, but he hopes it's enough.

The familiar grave of her father comes into sight, but the spot is a little different now. There is a smaller tombstone beside it, and on it is imprinted her picture.

The grave on the left says "Malvado Fere".

The grave on the right says "Siahta".

Nuju never knew her name, and had never asked, nor had she ever told him. But the name "Siahta" suits her, he thinks. The picture of her on the tombstone looks so different from the Siahta he knew - vibrant and happy, and though it is in black and white, he can tell that her cheeks are flushed from excitement. The smile on her face is wide, and she is laughing.

The flower he has brought is a white rose. White roses symbolize purity, for that is what he hopes she finally has: purity and freedom from everything weighing down upon her. He hopes that somewhere above the clouds, she is smiling and laughing with her father.

But most of all, he hopes that she is smiling down upon him as well.

Every day from then on, a single white rose is laid at the base of her stone.

X x X x X

**AN: Hm...I seem to be writing a lot of angst again lately...not exactly sure why, but there you have it.**

**Nuju/Siahta is my favorite canon/OC pairing, and it owns the world. Seriously, I love it. Usually it's Matau or Onewa being paired up (-points accusing finger at own stories-), so seeing Nuju paired up was like OH GOD YES FINALLY NUJU IS GETTING SOME TOO XD**

**Well anyway, that was that.**

**Review and request!**


	31. Roodaka and Teridax, Devotion

Number Fifteen

**Number Thirty-One**

**Title: Megalomaniac**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Roodaka/Teridax**

**Prompt: ...nein.**

**Characters: Roodaka, Teridax, Sidorak, Vakama, Nokama, Keetongu**

**Warning: A pairing that not even my older sister had thought of yet, dudes. Kinda weird and angsty in some parts, but mostly because of Roodaka's homicidal thoughts. **

X x X x X

I hate the rain. It's cold and it's wet, and it gets everywhere, in my armor and breastplate, and in my knee and elbow joints. It gets in my eyes and makes it hard to see.

I also hate the rain because HE hates it. He says it reminds him too much of his past defeats. It reminds him of tears that were shed by his Rahkshi, although they're disgusting little beasts anyway. I don't know why he likes them so much.

I hate the way I shudder when he says my name, because I know he probably notices it. He always smirks when this happens. Sometimes, he says it so many times in one conversation, as if he's trying to see just how many times I can shudder and shiver in one sitting.

Those are the only times that I feel more like killing him than...well, I'm sure you have figured it out by now.

I felt betrayed when he gave Sidorak the extraordinary notion that he and I would one day be married. Sidorak's eyes always light up when they alight upon me. I hate the way he talks to me, as if he is so sure that I am in love with him.

I love someone, alright, but it will never be him. Undoubtedly Sidorak is the most disgusting being I have ever and will ever come across. He takes credit for things that others have done - for things that _I_ have done, and yet expects me to love him.

He may consider my continued affection for my Makuta my revenge for his ways. When he realizes that I am in no way his, I will relish it. I sometimes dream about the horror on his face before I kill him, or better yet, the very moment he discovers what I feel for my master. That will destroy him beautifully, and I cannot wait to see it.

I carved the chip out of my Makuta's prison with my own claw, at great personal risk and pain. Agony shot through me as I scraped it out, but still I persevered. I laughed through the pain, knowing that I was one step closer to saving him. And when he was freed, he would love me. Of this I had no doubt.

I admit that I frequently torment Vakama about his continued affection for his blue teammate. It is simply hilarious how he agonizes over her for so long, and how I come in and "attempt" to console him, all the while making him doubt more than ever that they could have ever been. I've planted fantasies in his head of her and the green Toa perhaps wanting and needing each other, and of her being killed by my Visorak.

What I enjoy the most, however, is planting visions in his pathetic little mind of what he could do to her if he had her. He always gives a possessive growl when the conversation turned to this, and I can always tell exactly what was going through that head of his. Animals are focused on two things, after all. Food and preservation of the species. If I had allowed him to, he would have gone after her, I have no doubt.

 But I also have to admit that Vakama's fantasies are remarkably similar to my own about my Makuta. We both want something we simply cannot have at the time. He wants his precious water lily, and I want my Makuta.

I cannot HAVE my Makuta. He is trapped by these damnable Toa, including the red one currently in my employment.

To my anger and chagrin, that is not the only problem. Distance is not the only thing hindering our...relationship. The possibility that I am nothing except a lieutenant to him is...staggering. When I consider it, I feel weak and almost numb inside. I have never felt this need for acceptance before, not even from the ruler of my native island. It feels like I am both being born and dying at the same time.

Perhaps...perhaps I should just forget about him and move on--

No. Not in the least. I cannot. Roodaka does not _give up._ Roodaka is strong and assured of herself.

Roodaka is also heartbroken, because it would seem that her Makuta has no need of her beyond work.

This strengthens my resolve to prove myself to him, and as reality slides back in, I stare Sidorak right in the eye. He smiles at me, gesturing towards Keetongu's prone body. I snort.

Fool. Does he truly believe that Keetongu could be defeated so easily? I wasn't even trying when I fired that blast, I admit that.

With another snort, I toss him my weapon. Oh well, I tell myself, I can just get another one from my Makuta. Surely he will not mind replacing it if it was lost for such a noble cause as his.

"Do it yourself." I tell him coldly, loving the way his eyes widened in fear.

"But...but I can't do it by myself!" he cries as I walk away.

I pause for a moment to glance back at him. "I know."

The sound of his scream follows me as Keetongu engulfs him, and I smile. That's one nuisance down, only one more to go. I must hurry to open my Makuta's prison and then to his side.

Vakama's betrayal really comes as no surprise, and I laugh as his Rhotuka spinner hits me in the chest, shattering the piece of my Makuta's prison embedded in my breastplate. Pain floods everything, and I cannot move, cannot see, cannot hear. All I can do is feel.

I feel something closing around my waist, and then I am gone.

When I awaken, I feel him there, and I smile. THIS is where I want to be. I want to be with him.

"It's about time you woke up."

I smile weakly and sit up. "That's not very nice, Lord Makuta."

"Since when was I nice?"

I flinch at his words, and look at my legs. He was never nice, true. It was one of the things that so attracted me to him.

"Never." I say quietly.

"Good. And now that that's settled, get up. We have work to do."

"Yes, Lord Makuta."

I get up, and before I can move, he speaks again.

"Oh, and, Roodaka?"

I shiver at hearing him say my name. "Yes, My Lord?"

He smiles, and my heart flutters. "Thank you."

I do not allow my pleasure to show on my face, but still smile politely. "You are very welcome."

X x X x X

**AN: OK. So another Blurb was late in coming, yes, I am very aware. Oh, I was busy? Well gee, thanks for forgiving me!**

**So that was for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**, because he wrote me a BEAUTIFUL Roodaka/Teridax fic AND I LOVE IT.**

**I'm not happy with that ending. Bah. It's 2:13 AM, so I don't care, because I'm exhausted and thank GOD that I don't have class tomorrow. Bai.**

**Review and request!**


	32. Vakama, Matau, Nokama, & Nuju, Fairytale

Number Fifteen

**Number Thirty-Two**

**Title: Fairytale**

**Requested by: Zanda Waffle 07**

**Pairing: Vakama/Nokama, yo. Sort of. Yeah.**

**Prompt: "Fairytales gone wrong", "You know, I think Onewa would probably SUCK at storytelling...", "Yeah, write me a fic where Onewa can't tell a story right to save his life and like gets everything wrong and stuff!"**

**Characters: Onewa, Hewkii (Matoran), Hafu, Pohatu, Vakama, Nokama, Matau, Nuju, Whenua, Dume**

**Warning: Takes place before the residents of Mata Nui go to Metru Nui. And before the Metru Nui saga was revealed. And Onewa doesn't know how to tell a story to save his life, as per requested. Mwahahaha.**

X x X x X

"Hey, Turaga Onewa, we're bored."

"That's nice, Hafu. Go find something to do."

"No, I mean, we're really, really, REALLY bored."

"Oh. OK. I still don't see what that has to do with me, though."

"Well, you can fix it!"

"Really now. How so? Only boring people get bored, you know."

"Oh, HA, Turaga Onewa. Seriously, though, do something!"

"Like what?! What do you WANT me to do in this situation?!"

"Oh Turaga Onewa, are you telling a story? Sweet! I LOVE stories! So, what's this one called?"

"Uh, Toa Pohatu, I was doing no such--"

"YEAH! A story! Tell us a story, Turaga Onewa!"

"But no more of those stuffy old legends, those are boring."

"Brat, those are our history!"

"Yeah, but they're BORING."

"Sigh...fine, fine, alright, have it your way. I'll tell you a story."

"WOOHOO! See, Hewkii, I TOLD you it'd work!"

"HEY! Do you want me to relieve you of your boredom or not? Yeah, that's what I thought. OK, so it goes like this..."

X x X

Princess Nokama was bored. REALLY bored. Heck, she was more than bored. Being stuck up here in a tower that was guarded by a fierce beast wasn't the most interesting thing that could happen to a person, after all. Sure, it was cool at first, but after ten years she was just sick of it and wanted to get out.

She sighed and leaned back, staring blankly up at her ceiling. What, oh what, was she going to do?

X x X

Meanwhile, outside, two other figures stood, one a fiery red color and the other green as the leaves on a tree. The first one was named Vakama, and he was a Prince. But no ordinary Prince, for he was able to forge things, beautiful things, like the swords he and his companion both wore at their belts.

His companion was his faithful servant, Matau. Matau wasn't as shy as his Prince, and fidgeted excitedly as they stared up at the castle that the legendary Princess was reportedly trapped in.

"Uh, Matau, I'm getting a seriously bad feeling about this."

Matau merely stuck his chest out. "Nothing bad is going to happen! We'll go in, rescue the Princess, and get out with no harm done!"

"Or get pulverized," his red companion muttered, although he pretended not to have heard it and continued posturing.

"Heeyyyyy, I think I see her! Yeah, that's definitely her!" the green servant yelled, pointing up at the window, in which a blue shape could vaguely be seen. Vakama followed his servant's finger to the shape, squinting to see it better. He REALLY wished he hadn't agreed to this silly quest in the first place, but it had to be done. Otherwise his father wouldn't allow him to be King, instead passing him up in favor of his brother, Whenua.

At least his servant seemed rather boisterous about it--

"WHOA! Matau, let me go!"

"No way, dude! C'mon, let's get this over with! I wanna see that Princess!"

Yeah, he REALLY wished he hadn't been coerced into this now.

X x X

If Nokama thought SHE was bored, then how did she think HE felt?

The white dragon snorted lazily, blue eyes drifting slowly to the ceiling where his "treasure" was currently resting. Ten long years of being forced to guard a whiny Princess were no small deal, especially since he'd really rather be stargazing than babysitting her. It was annoying having to deal with it, when he could have been doing something productive.

Like guarding ACTUAL treasure, like all the other dragons these days were doing. But no, he had to get stuck with the cliché job of holding a Princess hostage in some castle on some barren rock a thousand miles from civilization. His life sucked.

Yawning hugely, the dragon laid down to sleep, wishing something interesting would happen to him for once.

No sooner had he dropped off than the large doors to the castle opened, and two brightly colored shapes slipped in. Vakama had to leap on his guard and clamp a hand firmly over his mouth before he started yelling for the Princess and gave away their position.

"Matau, you moron, listen to me!" he hissed, and Matau rolled his eyes, mouth still covered. "OK, here's the plan. Since I'm being forced to do this, I might as well do it right. Which means looking for anything that might hinder our search. You look down here, and I'll go up those stairs, alright?"

Matau managed to throw him off long enough for him to speak. "Um, K, but what're we supposed to be looking for?"

Vakama sighed, mentally counting to ten. "Do the words 'Princess' and 'captive' ring a bell?" he asked testily, and Matau brightened.

"OH YEAH--"

The red Prince leapt forward and stifled him again. "OK, good, you got it, all that junk. So get searching!"

Matau saluted. "You're the boss!"

It wasn't until he and his liege had parted ways and he was halfway down the enormous hall that he realized that captive Princesses were usually kept in the highest room of the castles in which they were imprisoned. Which happened to be where Vakama was going right now. He snapped his fingers in disappointment. Now THAT was clever. Making him get excited enough about the job to forget the finer details so he couldn't claim any of the real glory.

Well fine, he'd show him! He'd find that Princess first, if it was the last thing he--

He tripped over a long, sinewy object at that moment and promptly fell flat on his face, yelling out loud as he did so. "OUCH! Dude, what gives? Who leaves long white ropes all over the floor, seriously?"

Picking it up, he grimaced at it, and turned it over in his hands. Long, with spikes running along it vertically. And...scales...?

A low growl nearly made him jump out of his armor, and he whirled around, the long sinewy rope thing that he now knew to be a tail still clutched in his hand.

Holy Mata Nui that was a big dragon.

"Uh...nice dragon?"

X x X

No, Nuju was definitely NOT bored anymore. Now he was just grumpy, and more than a little angry that this green speck had DARED to come into his chamber and pull on his tail whilst he slept. No one did that to HIM and got away with it!

With a roar, he lumbered forward, and the green speck yelled and took off running, shouting, "VAKAMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" the whole way.

And now the speck dared to run away instead of finishing what he started?! Oh, there was going to be some serious retribution here tonight!

X x X

Vakama crept quietly up the stairs, willing himself to be as silent as possible. The last thing he wanted was to wake some malevolent guardian of the Princess up and be forced to fight to the death. Or something equally bad.

Speaking of bad, these stairs were definitely on his bad list. How many of them WERE there?! He'd lost count at one hundred and forty-seven. And they were STILL going on!

Finally, he managed to reach the top, hauling himself exhaustedly over what happened to be the three hundredth and eighty-third step. Before opening the door that lay just beyond it, he took a moment to compose himself and catch his breath. Let no one say that a Prince was nothing less than regal and dashing while rescuing fair maidens.

The door was unlocked, to his surprise, and he went right in. Whatever he had been expecting, it was not for a blue shape to hit him in the chest before the door was even all the way open.

"Oof--"

"MATA NUI! I'm SAVED!"

"I-I beg your pardon?!"

Vakama felt slightly cheated. THIS was the Princess?! Where was the regality? The charm? Princesses were not supposed to throw themselves upon the very first thing that entered the room! It just wasn't proper!

...not that he minded though, she was actually kinda cute.

But she had ruined his dramatic rescue. If she ruined the dramatic exit too, then she was in trouble. But for now, he supposed he could forgive her. After all, she HAD been trapped up here for an awfully long time; the cabin fever must have been awful. No wonder she was so happy to see some other signs of life besides herself!

Princess Nokama likewise took the time to look her rescuer over. He was wheezing slightly (from both the climb and from when she'd knocked the wind out of him just know, she guessed), and was also a bit taller than she was. And he had a sword and a crown. Not to mention a cape. Which meant he was a Prince!

"You have NO idea how happy I am that you're here," she said. "Now you can get me outta here!"

Her rescuer nodded. "That was the plan."

She smiled, then stopped as a thought occurred to her. "Wait, what about Nuju?"

"Who?"

"The dragon!" She waved her arms agitatedly. "The dragon that imprisoned me in the here tower ten years ago! You DID slay him, right? Right?"

Her brave knight now just looked confused. "There's a dragon around here?"

At that moment, a loud crash of stone walls being torn apart rang through the castle, along with a rather high-pitched scream Vakama recognized as his servant's. Obviously Matau had found aforementioned dragon. And knowing Matau, he had done something to piss it off.

"No time for that, let's go!" he yelled, and grabbed Nokama by the arm, dragging her off in a rather ungainly manner. Given the circumstances, he felt he could be forgiven. For now, he just had to figure out a way to get her out of here and rescue his own guard at the same time.

"Who was that?" Nokama asked as they flew down the stairs, struggling to keep up with him. Blast it all, he was FAST!

"My guard," he yelled back. "I have to go save him now, so please don't do anything rash that would put you back into danger, Princess."

She frowned. "First of all, my name's Nokama. Second of all, isn't it your guard's job to save YOU? Why are YOU saving your GUARD?!"

He shrugged. "That's the way it's always been, him getting into trouble and me saving him. Guess I shouldn't have been so quick to send him looking for potential problems with rescuing you. Oh, by the way, I'm Vakama, and I'm obviously here to save you from your imprisonment."

Nokama sighed. "Yeah, I got that." At least he was cute...and honest.

They arrived in the main hall just as Matau dashed past, a large, white, and rampaging dragon right after him. The dragon was roaring angrily, although Matau's shrieks were competing with it in terms of volume.

"MATAU!" Vakama yelled, and he chanced a glance at him as the dragon chased him up and down the hall, back and forth.

"No time now, Fearless Leader, I gotta run!"

Vakama frowned and handed his crown to Nokama. "Here, hold this."

She took it questioningly. "Why are you giving me your symbol of office? Shouldn't you be, oh I dunno, wearing it?"

He shrugged. "It falls into my eyes when I move around too much. OK, here I go!"

He took off after the dragon, making a leap onto its back, dark red cape flying rather dramatically. The dragon roared as he scurried up its spiny back, bucking and attempting to shake him off. He managed to get a grip on its horns and hung on for dear life, wishing now more than ever that he had never agreed to this whole thing. His life seriously sucked right now.

Seeing as how the dragon was now preoccupied with his Prince instead of eating him, Matau took the opportunity to go up to the pretty lady holding Vakama's crown and looking mightily confused about the circumstances.

"Hey there! My name's Matau. I'm that firespitter's guard. Not that he appreciates it."

She nodded at him briefly, blue eyes locked on Vakama and the dragon, which was now trampling about in a blind fury and crashing into the walls, sending rubble and dust everywhere. "I know, he told me."

Matau grinned. Vakama had told her about him? SCORE! That would mean that maybe HE could marry her instead of that timid Prince (who was looking mightily as though he were about to barf right now) and not have to be a guard / servant anymore!

"Oh, and by the way, you scream more like a girl than I do. You might want to do something about that," she went on, not unkindly, and then went back to watching the battle.

Matau's eyes narrowed, and he harrumphed snootily in the way he had seen Vakama's father Dume do when he was annoyed.

"That's a matter of opinion."

"No it's not."

"I do not scream like a girl!"

The Princess merely snorted.

"Maybe...we can...come to some agreement...?!" Vakama was busy yelling as the dragon charged straight into another wall, sending more rubble flying than before. He coughed and wiped his eyes, regretting it instantly as he was almost thrown off; as it was, he slid down its neck and managed to grab hold of one of its spines just in the nick of time . "OK, maybe not! Forget I asked!"

He had to find a way to end this soon; he was starting to get some serious motion sickness here. And it would be a rather un-Princely thing to throw up all over the dragon he was attempting to slay.

Just as he was about to throw royal etiquette to the winds and just get it over with, there was a loud clang and the dragon stopped moving. He looked up.

Well, gee, that was lucky.

In its fury, the dragon had apparently damaged the ropes holding up one of the chandeliers earlier on in their epic little battle. The repeated crashes had only served to damage the rope further, until the chandelier finally came loose, miraculously landing right on the dragon's head.

With a loud moan, the dragon slumped to the side, landing with a crash that was big enough to shake the entire castle. After a moment in which the dust was settling, Vakama chanced a glance at the beast. Its blue eyes were screwed shut, and it was obviously in a dead faint.

OK. Now that that was over...

Nokama winced as her rescuer doubled over and threw up all over the wreckage of the walls. That wasn't very regal...but hey, if SHE had been in his place, she probably would have done the same thing.

As soon as the Prince was done retching, Matau came dashing over, a wide grin on his face. "Dude, that was awesome! That thing totally just KO'd itself! What a loser!"

Vakama glared at him. "What a wonderful guard I have, to aid me in battle against a fierce dragon and assist me in rescuing the Princess! Oh yes, whatever would I do without you, Matau?"

Matau shrugged, completely missing the sarcasm. "Dunno, probably woulda died by now without me around to protect ya." Ignoring his Prince's outraged snort, he jerked a thumb at Nokama, who was picking her way towards them. "By the way, that Princess-y chick has your tiara."

"It's not a tiara, it's a CROWN." Vakama snapped, but smiled at Nokama as she handed it to him, setting it on his head. He sighed, shaking the last vestiges of sickness off of himself. "Alright, enough of this. Let's go home."

Nokama smiled and took his hand. "Indeed. It'll be nice to get out of here, I admit."

They walked off, already chatting about ruling Vakama's kingdom together, with Matau scurrying off after them, yelling for them to wait.

Once outside, however, things were different. Impatiently, eyes narrowed dangerously, Vakama turned to his guard.

"Matau..."

"Yes, Your High Royalness?"

"You DID remember to tether the Kikanalo we were riding here...right?"

Matau stared at him blankly. "I was supposed to do that?"

X x X

Nuju awoke with a mighty groan, clutching his aching head and blinking dust and dirt away from his eyes, which widened when they saw the state his beautiful castle was now in.

Blasted knights and Princes and what-have-you's! They had RUINED his CASTLE! And all because he had coerced into capturing that crazy blue Princess!

He gave a roar of frustration, only to regret it as it caused the rest of the castle to come down around his ears.

He, Nuju, the white dragon who had once guarded the Princess Nokama, was now officially ruler of a pile of rubble.

...

Oh well, at least he could see the sky now.

X x X

"So, how'd ya like that one?"

"..."

"..."

"..."

"Um, HELLO? When someone's done telling you a story, you're SUPPOSED to applaud and thank them!"

"...er, no offense, Turaga Onewa, but who taught you how to tell stories?"

"..."

"..."

"Just for that, Hewkii, you can muck out the Maha stables tomorrow."

X x X x X

**AN: OK, I'm back. You may now return from the edge of your seats.**

**That was for **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_**, who needed his fairytale fix, apparently. I dunno, I had fun writing it, even though I admit it WAS kinda stupid XD Nuju makes the best snooty dragon EVER.**

**Review and request, please! Come on, I've got way too much time on my hands!**


	33. Onewa and Matau, A Rather Strong Word

**Number Thirty-Three**

**Title: A Rather Strong Word**

**Requested by: Nobility**

**Pairing: Onewa/Matau friendship**

**Prompt: "I hate you so bad right now"**

**Characters: Onewa, Matau, Vakama**

**Warning: All speech, no real action or anything...because I'm bored and for some reason thought it'd be cool to do a story this way. Obviously I need to start thinking before just springing into action like this. Sigh.**

X x X x X

"I hate you. I really do. If I could reach you, I would STRANGLE you."

"Awh, you can't mean that!"

"Oh but I do, Matau. I really do. And I would do more than just strangle you. I'd tear your mask off and STOMP on it. And then, I'd throw your mangled carcass into the gorge, where the Kikanalo would trample it to itty bitty pieces, and then I'd hang it up for all to see."

"Onewa, seriously, it's just a speech. Nothing to get so mean-stressed out about. I give them all the time!"

"Matau, the majority of your speeches revolve around atmospheric wind currents, which nobody really cares about."

"HEY! My Matoran true-care about those!"

"No, actually they don't. They're boring. Only reason they listen to you is because you're a Toa."

"Hmph! Fine, see if I help you through this little speech-talk thing of yours! I WAS planning on giving you some useful help-pointers and stuff, but now I won't!"

"WAIT! Wait, wait, wait, don't leave! Put one finger on that doorknob and I swear to Mata Nui I'll make you regret it!"

"Psh, fine, fine. OK, I'm back, happy now? But seriously, if you're gonna insult my speech-giving talents, I'm not gonna help you."

"But I was telling the truth."

"ONE MORE WORD--"

"Seriously, you fail at making speeches, you get all those words mixed up and end up saying stuff that has NOTHING to do with what you're supposed to be talking about--"

"I AM LEAVING IN A HUFF!"

"NO - holy crap, NO, you're not! See, ha, restraints! Ah I love being a Stone Toa."

"...you suck and I hope you DIE HORRIBLY. I hate you so bad right now. Now release me and I shall not hand your butt to you on a plate-platter."

"Pffft, fat chance of that, I'm way stronger than you. And - HOLY CRAP IT'S ABOUT TO START. WHAT DO I DO?!"

"Well, the first thing you should try is quick-walkin' out onto the podium-stand so the Matoran can hear your speech-talk. Then you just say-talk what you gotta say-talk, and mad-dash the heck outta there!"

"...you know I don't understand your 'treespeak' nonsense."

"Just get out there and make the freaking speech, OK?"

"Jeez, way to get touchy. Isn't that Nuju's job? You're supposed to be the flexible one who always bounces back after verbal and/or physical assault; way to fail, Matau. Uh, OK though, I can totally do this...yeah, I so can..."

"No you can't!"

"Shut UP, Matau, no one cares about you!"

"Wow, that was MEAN, Onewa. Really mean."

"Er, Matau, I didn't mean it...please don't start crying, because you KNOW I can't handle it when Nokama cries, much less YOU. I'm just really stressed out, OK? Dammit, Matau, I said I didn't mean it!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAH! ONEWA'S BEING MEAN TO ME!"

"...crap. If the whole of the Coliseum didn't hear that, then I'm a Makuta fish."

"Heh, Makuta fish...who the heck named it that, anyway? As if the world needed another reminder of the bad-worst thing that ever happened to it!"

"Grawr, I KNEW those tears were fake!"

"No duh they were, stupid, we of Le-Metru are well-versed in the art of coming up with awesome solutions on short notice!"

"...you know what you said earlier about hating me? Yeah, I now turn that upon you. I hate you. I hate you, a LOT. So much, you can't even comprehend. And, it's thanks to YOU that I have to make this stupid speech! I am not a public speaker!"

"Yeah, the only one who sucks more at it than you is Vakama. Haha, I thought he was gonna faint last time...but at least he TRIES to speak-talk, unlike Nuju...who doesn't even bother getting up on the podium-stand..."

"That's because Nuju doesn't understand what it's like having an actual social life, having been cooped up in his little fantasy land tower for so long. And now...it's time. I HATE y--"

"Onewa! Hurry up or you're gonna be - uh, Matau, why are you wrapped in stone...which appears to be coming from the walls...?"

"Oh hi Vakama! Well, me and Onewa were just talk-chatting and then he started insulting me, so I pretended to sad-cry, and he got all apologetic over it! Oh yeah, and he says you suck at making speeches."

"LIES! YOU were the one to say that Matau, not me! Don't believe that airhead, Vak, it's all lies! Lies and slander!"

"..."

"Uh, Vak?"

"Extra long training session tomorrow. In the Great Furnace. The very bowels of it. You two will be taking care of what is left of the Morbuzakh, since little tendrils of it apparently still like to hang out down there. Not enough to be a threat, but enough cause for concern that I want them gone."

"But they don't like the COLD, smelt-head, send Nuju! He deals in all things cold, not us! We are STONE and AIR. Not Ice. See the difference?"

"Matau, you can make cold air, right? Chemical balances and all that?"

"Uh...yeah, but--"

"Perfect. I expect you to meet me at the Great Furnace at 10 AM, and not a moment later. And Onewa, the crowd sounds like it's starting to get bored, so you had better get out there and give your little speech already before they all just go home."

"Tch, some leader YOU are, leaving your teammate to die of his worst fear!"

"What, public speaking? Don't be ridiculous, Onewa, everyone knows Nuju in a good mood is much more frightening."

"...yeah, you got me there."

"See, I TOLD you it was a bad-dark idea to let him gain self-confidence!"

"Good. Alright, see you two tomorrow."

"Seeya, Vakama!"

"Bye, Evil Leader Who Leaves His Teammates to Certain Doom! I hate you too!"

"Onewa, he was gone before you even got to 'who leaves'."

"Shut up, Matau, I am allowed to rant when I please! OK...better go face the crowd now, before Turaga Dume decides to send a team of rescuers in here to make sure we haven't died or anything...seeya, Matau!"

"Bye, Onewa! ...wait, Onewa, before you go you need to let me out of this rock thing! ONEWA! ONEWA! ONEWAAAAAAAAA COME BAAAAAAAAACK!"

X x X x X

**AN: That's one out of the way! Coming up next is one for **_**Tollian**_** and also one for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**! And after that...who knows?**

**Anyway, if you'd like a oneshot, then please just ask! As usual, tell me which characters you want in it, along with a prompt.**

**Review and request!**


	34. Matau and Onewa, Rabid

**Number Thirty-Four**

**Title: Rabid**

**Requested by: Tollian**

**Pairing: Fangirls/Matau? Lol.**

**Prompt: "Fans (or 'fangirls' if you prefer)"**

**Characters: Matau, Onewa, Matau's fans, the mail-Matoran**

**Warning: Matau has fans. And you know what that means? Yes. FanGIRLS. Those rabid monsters are the worst fear of every fandom out there! Why, I remember back in the **_**FullMetal Alchemist**_** section-- -rambles-**

**Also, Onewa and Matau are really fun to write together, which is why I do it so often. Just to let you know.**

X x X x X

"Fans?" Onewa busts out laughing. "YOU have fans?"

Matau resists the urge to bristle at his friend and instead runs a hand over his mask. "Um, yes? I have fans, hard to believe, I know! But I DO have them, so there!"

The Stone Toa snorts and goes back to gnawing on a piece of Husi jerky. "Well then, prove it. We've all got fans, sure, but what makes you think you've got the most as you have so boldly dared to suggest?"

And Matau smirks; oh he's got him there. Right where he wants him. He won't know what's hit him. "Because, my sarcastic friend, I DO have the most. Check the polls." And he pulls out a copy of Metru Nui's local newspaper and flops it onto the table at the small restaurant they're sitting at.

Onewa raises a brow as he looks it over, and Matau's smirk grows. OH HO HO HO HO--

"Nuju's behind you by only three votes," the Stone Toa points out. "And believe me, now that he's started coming out of his little 'castle of solitude and stars', or whatever the hell he was calling it the other day, he's gonna pass you up."

Matau frowns. "No he won't. The Matoran LOVE me. Wherever I go, they clap and cheer!"

"That's because you do stuff that they're too scared to do themselves," Onewa replies. "Like jump headfirst into force spheres with the intent of impressing a pretty lady."

"Tch," the green Toa snorts. "She was so impressed. She doesn't want to admit it, but..." He frowns when Onewa starts laughing suddenly. "What? What's so funny all of a sudden, rock smasher? I demand to know!"

Still chortling, Onewa points over his shoulder, and Matau turns slightly to look at whatever it is that's so darn funny. "I might have to admit that I was wrong on ONE account, airhead."

"Oh?" Matau is too busy trying to figure out what in the world that dust cloud is and just how fast it's going to really pay attention, although he knows he should be celebrating. Onewa, admitting he was wrong? Such an event has never occurred before. Surely this must be a sign of the Apocalypse or something equally significant. "And what's that?"

"You might not be as far ahead in the popularity polls as you claimed to be..." Onewa breaks off to snicker again. "But I WILL admit that you DO have more of one type of fan than the rest of us do."

"Annnnnnd?" Matau snaps, not in the mood to play games right now. But really, what IS that dust cloud thing? And...what's all that pounding?

...feet? And are those...Ga-Matoran? Well. He never knew they could run that fast! But what's all this nonsense Onewa's going on about?

When his friend doesn't answer, he glances over his shoulder again and is surprised to see the Stone Toa halfway down the street. As he watches, Onewa turns around, cups his hands around his mouth for extra loudness, and shouts, "You DO have more FANGIRLS than me!"

"Wha...?" Matau digests this piece of information for a minute before turning pale. "HOLY--"

The first one hits him in the side and knocks him, chair and all, over. And then it's like a landslide. They just keep coming, and in a frenzy of panic, Matau manages to summon a wind to blow them all off of him and dashes off after Onewa, who by now is in the next district. He makes a mental note to never go to Ga-Metru again unless the rest of the Toa Metru are there with him - at least then, his runner-up Nuju will be there to provide a LITTLE bit of distraction!

...although a part of him can't help but be pleased that out of all five male Toa Metru, he's got the most fangirls. Not just fans. FanGIRLS. He always knew Nuju had lied about him being the worst of the Toa Metru. Obviously if he had this many girls chasing after him, it must have meant that he was pretty awesome.

"Although right about now, I wouldn't mind having a few less!" he pants, and keeps running. As expected, they chase after him, and it's a virtual stampede as he chases after Onewa, and Onewa keeps running, wondering just why in the name of Karzahni Matau is trying to catch up with him.

Does that airhead think he WANTS to get trampled or something?!

"SAVE YOURSELF AND STOP FOLLOWING ME!" he hollers over his shoulder, noticing that Matau is starting to catch up at an alarming rate. "DON'T BRING YOUR PROBLEMS DOWN ON _ME_! IT'S BAD LUCK!"

Matau scowls at the Stone Toa as he succeeds in passing him. Good, now he's safe! "YOU'RE bad luck! Nothing bad EVER happens to me unless one of YOU guys are around!"

And now that he thinks about it, that DOES happen to be pretty true. For the Winter Solstice celebration, he vows to get them all good luck charms to remedy this problem.

Before Onewa can argue back, the Air Toa has ripped his aero-slicers off his back, wondering why he hadn't thought of this before, and forms them into his wings. A second later, he's taken a running leap into the air and is soaring off in the direction of his own Metru, where blessed peace and quiet (and a lack of crazy fangirls) await him.

Yes, he has to leave Onewa behind, but some sacrifices must be made! Plus, Onewa is tough, he'll survive with relatively minor trauma.

And so Onewa continues to run, an old expression adding the proverbial wings to his feet as he does so.

"_I don't have to outrun the ash bear, my friend - I only have to outrun YOU."_

X x X x X

**AN: Saya loves her new laptop, that she doooooeeessss...and she finds the thought of Matau and Onewa being chased through the streets by a horde of girls to be wildly amusing, especially since they're sure to argue over just whose fault it really is that they're in said predicament.**

**Well, next up is **_**Zim'sMostlLoyalServant's**_** request! And then I THINK I have another one...lemme go check. Yup, one for **_**Sylla Shadowfrost**_** as well. Well, till then, please tell me what you think!**

**Review and request!**


	35. TSO, Karzahni, and Anubis, Fellowship

**Number Thirty-Five**

**Title: Fellowship**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Joining up"**

**Characters: Anubis (OC), Karzahni, the Shadowed One, unnamed prison guards**

**Warning: The usual nonsense! And violence. And Karzahni's general nutty attitude. And homicidal thoughts on the parts of all three characters. Yes.**

X x X x X

Something that Anubis Itami, great leader of the once-proud Toa Itami, would never admit to getting lost, but lost he was. The world had changed since his three defeats at the hands of first Toa Sylvaticus, then Toa Lhikan, then Toa Vakama, and he had not been around to see it. Thus, the way to Karzahni's place of imprisonment was indiscernible to him without the Shadowed One's guidance, and it was with considerable teeth-gnashing and anger that he allowed the other being to show him the way.

He had no clue just what race or species the Shadowed One was a part of, and didn't care. He himself was in no way a true Toa, so who was he to say exactly what the other leader was? All he knew was that he was the leader of the Dark Hunters and one heck of a business man. It was the Shadowed One that financed the vast majority of their projects, and without him, they were stuck.

Which was the only reason Anubis hadn't made an attempt on his life just yet. That could wait for later. Not to mention he owed the other being quite a bit - it was due to HIS research (and Teridax's skills), after all, that Anubis had been brought back into this world after being killed by that wretch Vakama.

Speaking of which, once the plans had all been laid and their rule was established, he would track Vakama down and make him suffer.

He stepped on the face of the being he had murdered, feeling sweet bliss flow through him at the prospect of having killed again. There was really nothing like it, especially when it was a bunch of goody-goody prison guards you were killing. _Especially_ when it was a bunch of goody-goody _Order of Mata Nui_ prison guards you were killing. But he would have killed them even if they HADN'T gotten in the way of his mission. After all, they were just too tempting to pass up.

Behind him, his business partner opened a rusty door and called him over. Rolling his eyes, he swung around and went to join him.

"Try to keep a latch on that tongue of yours," the Shadowed One told him as they descended into the darkness of the lower cells. "Karzahni may be madder than a rusted Ice Bat, but he's proud. Any unnecessary insults will only hurt our cause."

Anubis raised a brow boredly. "Which is code for shut my trap and let YOU do all the talking, I presume?"

The Shadowed One nodded. "Yes. Talk only if necessary. I would prefer it if there were no hitches in our plan just yet. And remember," he snapped, eyes flashing, "Teridax is the only reason you're alive. If I had had my way, you would still be a burning pile of metal in the depths Mt. Valamai, with the Blade of Order still shoved through your skull. Don't give me an opportunity to prove my point if you know what's good for you."

Anubis sneered and shoved past him, stinging at the insinuation and rubbing badtemperedly at the scar on his forehead. The Shadowed One was one to talk indeed; after all, he was the only one of the current Three that had yet to face one of the Toa Metru in combat. Even Teridax hadn't been able to defeat them. What was almost hilarious was that it was Vakama who had beaten the Makuta as well. Fire Toa were indeed troublesome little monsters.

"We were all defeated by Fire Toa," the Shadowed One said suddenly, and Anubis wondered for a moment if the Dark Hunter could read minds. "You were defeated by Lhikan AND Vakama, Teridax was beaten by Vakama and Tahu. And Takanuva, but we'll deal with him later."

"And you?" Anubis asked. "You've never even had the chance to meet the Toa Metru OR the Toa...Nuva." Whatever their ridiculous team name was.

"No," the Shadowed One agreed, "but I DID meet another Fire Toa named Kaden, who made it his life's goal to kill me. He's the one who gave me this scar," and he showed him the long scar running over his left shoulder, all the way down to his elbow. "I survived, of course, but Kaden managed to get away. In fact, he was stupid not to make sure that I was dead. Instead, the fool ran away before I stopped breathing. Which, of course, gave time for Sentrakh to find me and get me medical attention."

Anubis snorted. "So it wasn't even the Mask of Light or the Mask of Time or even the Blade of Order that defeated you, it was a simple Toa of Fire with a sword?"

"Be quiet." the Shadowed One snapped. "In the end, I am the one laughing, as Kaden was killed by one of my own employees over a thousand years ago. That's all that matters. It is alright to lose a battle as long as you win the war." He stopped suddenly, as a silky smooth voice called out to him from the darkness of the prison. A pair of claws wrapped around the bars of the cell nearest to them, and their eyes automatically snapped to the owner.

"Hello! Who did I just say hello to? I said hello to someone who is not me! That is the first time that has happened since the last time it happened, which was an hour ago!"

Anubis raised a brow as the Shadowed One let out a sigh. "Hello, Karzahni. How are you today?"

"Oh, as well as anyone could be while trapped inside of a dark, dingy dungeon," the being in the cell said airily. "Now, how may I help you today? Surely you are here to visit me, correct? I didn't know they allowed visiting hours in this part of the prison..."

There was another sigh from the Shadowed One at this. "They don't, you dolt, we had to kill a good number of the guards to get down here. Which you very well know."

Karzahni laughed, his claws grating horribly on the metal of the bars. "Sharp as ever, Lord Shadowed One."

"Don't call me that," the Shadowed One snapped. "I know you don't mean it, and I don't tolerate mockery. So tell me, what merited your removal from the Pit to here?"

The being in the cage grinned, and Anubis saw for the first time just why Teridax had insisted that they ask this being for his cooperation.

"Oh, well, you know how it is, it turns out the Order of Mata Nui doesn't much like it when you start killing off the other prisoners. But really, Lord Shadowed One - oh, FINE, Shadow, how about that? No? Fine, _Shadowed One_, it's so incredibly BORING down there. Absolutely nothing to do now that the Barraki are gone. The dull monotony was starting to drive me insane!"

"Like you needed any outside stimulus for that," the Shadowed One said dryly, and then cleared his throat. "Now, onto business. Makuta Teridax would like to make you a proposition, Karzahni."

Karzahni leaned forward, his Kanohi Olisi pressing against the bars hard enough to create lines in it. "Oooh, goody! I love propositions!"

"Shut up!" The Dark Hunter CEO looked ready to murder something, so Anubis spoke up, despite his orders. "We'd like to invite you to join our ranks."

Karzahni sighed, grating his claws against the bars of his cell with a loud _SCREEEEECH_ that made the Shadowed One frown and Anubis grimace. "I thought so. Villains really have no originality these days, you know. Everything has to do with world domination and the removal of the planet's little heroes. And then some little sunspot always messes those plans up." He glanced at them with a smirk, and Anubis was surprised to see the obvious cunning in those yellow eyes now. It hadn't been there a second ago, that was for sure.

"Of course...I hear that that's already happened to him. Isn't that right?"

"Just answer the question." the Shadowed One snapped. "Will you join or not?"

He gave a yell, as just then, a chain flung itself through the bars and wrapped around his forearm. He cursed angrily - that was his staff arm! - before the chain's slack tightened and dragged him with a _KLANG_ into the bars of the cell.

"Release me, you madman!" he snarled, wincing as the chain links bit into his flesh.

Karzahni's eyes held no hint of jolliness now as they looked at him. "Where was Teridax when I was suffering away against the Order of Mata Nui?" he snarled. "Where were YOU when I fought Lesovikk and he broke my weapon? And where was HE," he nodded at Anubis, who glared, "when I was being shoved into the Pit, and not even by the great Botar? Am I not important enough for Botar to do it, they had to get his break day guy to do it for him?"

It occurred to Anubis that that last thing was what was bothering the mad being the most, and he shook with silent laughter. And he had thought himself mad...he shook his head and kicked the lock on the cell, thus breaking it, then yanked the barred door open and hurled himself upon the prisoner.

The Shadowed One was thrown into the wall as the other two battled, and he wasted no time in scrambling upright and getting out of the way. At least Teridax had chosen two applicants who could fight, he supposed.

Anubis had to admit, it was rather clever of Karzahni to use his own prison chain to replace the ones he had lost in battle. Especially when that chain had obviously been ripped out of the wall minutes before they had arrived. Obviously the prisoner had been expecting a skirmish of some kind and had made do with what he had.

He lashed out with the hook on his left hand, catching Karzahni in the face and making him lose his grip on the chain. A second later, the chain was underneath his foot, and the point of his hook was at Karzahni's throat.

"Checkmate," he snapped. He glared when Karzahni began to laugh again, and snarled, "What's so funny?!"

The other being continued to laugh for a good four minutes after that, stopping so suddenly Anubis wondered if he had been merely acting. Who knew with madmen such as this?

"We asked you a question," he said coldly. "And you will answer it."

"In case you didn't notice," Karzahni smiled, "that WAS my answer. And in case you can't read body language, that means 'no'." His smile widened and he favored the two with a kind look. "Any other questions, gentlemen?"

Anubis glanced back at the Shadowed One, who looked just as shocked as he felt. That turned out to be a mistake.

"AGH!" He roared with pain as the chain slipped from under his feet, burst into flames, and wrapped around his midsection, slamming him into the wall. The Shadowed One launched a number of disks as the perpetrator, but Karzahni was deft with his weapon of choice, and deflected each and every one of them. One he actually managed to fling back, and the Shadowed One had to dive out of the way as his own weapon exploded the bars of the cell directly behind where he had been standing just seconds before.

And then Karzahni was gone, the only indicator of his presence being the chaos he had just wreaked.

Anubis pushed himself out of the indent he had made in the wall, snarling with pain and yanking a sizable chunk of stone out of his bleeding shoulder with a grimace. "That...that..." He found he was too angry for words and settled for growling incomprehensibly in rage.

The Shadowed One leaned on his staff as he stared out the door that their target had just run out of. "Brilliant," he muttered. "He KNEW something like this was going to happen. And he PREPARED for it. Bloody brilliant." He shook his head. Say what you wanted to about Karzahni, but stupid he was not. He doubted even Lariska could have pulled that one off.

"What now?" Anubis asked, and he looked over at his fellow dictator. "We just failed, and on top of that, set that madman free."

"No, YOU set him free," the Shadowed One snapped back. "YOU were the one who broke the cell, thus allowing him to escape. You'll be lucky if Teridax doesn't just throw you back in Mt. Valamai and stick the Blade of Order in you himself this time."

The Toa Itami of Chaos let out a low growl, but somehow managed to keep himself from attacking, instead choosing to walk past his associate and back outside, past all the wreckage that they had created before coming to see Karzahni in his lonely little cell at the back of this "secret" prison of the Order of Mata Nui.

The only good thing that had happened to him since his resurrection was being able to kill more than a few prison guards that day, and this realization didn't improve his mood in the least bit. And then there was the matter of Teridax's reaction to their failed mission to deal with later...

"Hmph," the Shadowed One's aristocratic sniff broke through his thoughts. "I always did like the sound of 'Triumvirate' better than 'Foursome', anyway."

Anubis sneered at him and shoved past him, stomping every step of the way back outside.

If he ever got the opportunity to do something about it, the Shadowed One was going to DIE.

X x X x X

**AN: That took way too long to do, because I'm LAZY! Not to mention these past couple months I've had writer's block and have just been all-around exhausted. I'm sorry. I'm writing again though, so don't go throwing sharp objects just yet.**

**To be honest, that one was a little hard. I haven't read any of the Karzahni battles in the books and stuff for a LONG time, so I had to go and do some research about his powers. He's nuts, which makes him a rather fun character to write about indeed. -nods-**

**Anyway, that one was for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_**! Up next is...hang on... -checks- ...**_**Sylla Shadowfrost**_**!**

**Review and request!**


	36. Nuju and Kopaka, Wise One

**Number Thirty-Six**

**Title: Wise One**

**Requested by: Sylla Shadowfrost**

**Pairing: Implied Tahu/Gali**

**Prompt: "Words of wisdom"**

**Characters: Nuju, Kopaka, Tahu, Gali, Pohatu, Lewa, Onua**

**Warning: Um, general oddness? I decided to write some humor again, since the last few things I've written are rather...humorless. Oh yeah, and some alcohol. But no drugs, because I'm one of those weird people who find drug use to be completely retarded.  
**

X x X x X

Of all things, Nuju would eventually find that he had to impart upon his Toa the wisdom and knowledge of social skills.

It was hard. Kopaka as a general rule was antisocial, with a good dosage of possible manic-depression (although Nuju certainly HOPED that wasn't the case), and getting him to socialize was about as easy as facing Makuta Teridax with your hands tied behind your back. Well, maybe it wasn't THAT hard, but it still took quite a bit of effort to get the antisocial Ice Toa to even CONSIDER talking to people outside his little posse.

He was constantly pestering Kopaka to greet envoys and ambassadors from other islands with something more polite than a dispassionate stare, but to minimal success. No matter how hard he tried, he was unable to get the Toa Nuva of Ice to socialize.

It wasn't healthy to be shut up all the time. He knew from experience, from being shut up in his Knowledge Tower all the time before becoming the Toa Metru of Ice himself. It had done him immeasurable good to get out and MAKE something of his life, instead of just sitting around and predicting the future using astronomy day in and day out.

But Kopaka was stubborn and for the most part unwilling to listen to such trivial words of wisdom. It wasn't a life-or-death situation, after all.

He had no idea why females of all species (besides Rahi, of course) seemed to be so bloody attracted to him. They usually claimed it was his mysterious allure, that dry wit of his, those beautiful blue eyes that drew them in.

Tahu found those kinds of proclamations absolutely hilarious; after all, they considered the Ice Toa to be perfect. And perfection was boring, at least from the Fire Toa's point of view. That was what Gali had told him, and by Mata Nui, she was right. Perfection WAS boring.

Tahu added spice to Gali's life, Kopaka knew. He had even asked her just WHY in the name of all that was good and holy she would choose THAT hotheaded moron over someone more respectable. Gali had responded with just that - he added spice and flavor to her life. It would be much more boring if he were proper and polite, she explained. She liked him the way he was, flaws, temper, and all. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the topic of their conversation had waltzed right into the room and announced that he was joining the circus.

Being a Toa was boring, he explained in response to Gali's shocked face and Kopaka's deadpan expression. There was nothing to DO anymore. But in any case, when the circus that was in town at the moment left Metru Nui, he would be going with it to...wherever it went after that.

Kopaka may not have been the best when it came to social things and relationships, but he was fairly sure telling your soulmate you were joining the circus on a whim wasn't a good idea. By the way Gali chased the Fire Toa around the room with every intention of beating such a ridiculous notion out of him, he knew he was right.

Seriously, what if Gali decided to leave him or something for saying such stupid things? It was a definite possibility.

When he told Nuju this, the Turaga merely smiled and told him that, while they definitely had their problems, Tahu and Gali would never think of actually leaving each other like that. In fact, their little spats helped to prove that their was more to that relationship than mere infatuation. It proved that they genuinely cared about each other.

Kopaka scoffed at that, but whatever made the old fool happy, he supposed.

Shortly after that, Tahu decided a boys' night out was in order, in celebration of the fact that Gali had finally said the three little words that he had been saying all along, _"I love you."_ She had added, _"even if you ARE a moron,"_ at the end, but that didn't matter to Tahu in the least.

The only reason Kopaka agreed to go on this little "boys' night out" thing was for the sake of his friendship with Tahu, he explained to Nuju before leaving to go meet the other male Toa Nuva at the local bar in Ta-Metru. And again, Nuju had smiled and told him that friendship manifested itself in many ways and he was sure Tahu appreciated it.

Really, the old coot made no SENSE sometimes.

OK, so it wasn't exactly a boys' night out. The only reason for going to the bar was to gather alcohol and other supplies, namely enough food to feed the whole of Ko-Metru for the better part of the next decade. Tahu had some good connections, it seemed, Kopaka had never even HEARD of some of those brands of alcohol.

He really couldn't remember much of what had happened that night, only that they had all had maybe a LITTLE too much to drink. Except Pohatu, who had the alcohol tolerance of a rock and wasn't even buzzed (despite the fact that he had drunk more than all the rest of them), and who had been desperately trying to keep them out of trouble in their drunken antics.

He was fairly sure he'd always remember looking blearily up at Lewa, who was standing on top of the table in Tahu's home and singing some ridiculous-sounding song in another language at the top of his abnormally powerful lungs, holding a bottle of alcohol like a microphone and gesturing wildly to the music in his head. And how could he forget Onua, who seemed to lose the ability to speak in the Basic tongue and reverted to what sounded like a mix of ancient Xian, an outdated form of Basic, and what sounded oddly like the growls he'd heard ash bears make when they were angry and about to charge?

Nor could he forget Pohatu desperately running after Tahu, who was running around and searching for Gali, convinced that she was in the room somewhere and merely hiding from him out of some sadistic desire to cause him anguish. Anguish that resolved in him sobbing it out on Kopaka's shoulder, but by this time, said Ice Toa was too far gone to care and ended up slumping forward on the table with his head in his arms in an attempt to block his best friend out and ended up falling asleep like that.

The next morning, he was NOT happy, and his mood only darkened when Nuju informed him that no, he would NOT give him a hangover remedy, because that was his punishment for drinking so much in the first place.

It was good to have friends and have fun, the old Turaga told him as he nursed the headache and bent over the waste bin, chucking up the contents of his stomach with a sour expression on his face, but there was also a difference between having fun and being an idiot. It was much wiser to balance them out, rather than face becoming a total party Rahi or a workaholic.

Either way, his first experience with alcohol SUCKED, that much was for sure.

He would have to kill Tahu, once his headache abated and his stomach stopped churning. Bloody Fire Toa, putting him through this agony and humiliation...

But as much as he hated to admit it, Nuju was right. And as much as he hated to admit it, he'd actually had FUN for once in his life. He'd caught up with the rest of the Toa Nuva on their lives, laughed (that was the alcohol talking, he was fairly certain), told his own stories, and just in general had a good time.

All of which required socializing. Which he'd condemned nearly all his conscious life.

It was strange and somewhat ironic that it took the worst hangover in the history of hangovers to make him realize that his quiet, content Turaga was actually a little smarter and wiser than he originally gave him credit for. He still made a big show of scoffing on the outside, but on the inside, truly listened and took the words to heart.

Somehow Nuju seemed to understand, although for the life of him Kopaka would never know how. Maybe it was all part of being a Turaga.

He resolved that one day, when he himself was decommissioned from Toa status to being a Turaga, he'd be the same way. Just less annoying about it.

X x X x X

**AN: This was really more about Kopaka than Nuju, but oh well. Hope you enjoyed it either way.**

**And yes, I'm one of many girls who honestly believe that perfection is completely and totally boring in basically all aspects of life. After all, where's the spice and variety in perfection? Nowhere, that's where.**

**I was thinking of giving Kopaka some sort of love interest and have to go to Nuju for advice about it, but decided against it, as I REALLY can't see him falling in love with anyone. Male or female. He's better off alone, anyway. Much more badass.**

**Anyway, please review and don't forget to request!**


	37. Whenua and Nuju, Treasure Hunter

**Number Thirty-Seven**

**Title: Treasure Hunter**

**Requested by: Gatoconbotas964**

**Pairing: VERY slight implied Vakama/Nokama at the very end**

**Prompt: "Archives", "What are they thinking, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?!" (YAY **_**HARRY POTTER **_**REFERENCE! 8D)**

**Characters: Whenua, Nuju, Dume, Rahi, Onewa, Vakama  
**

**Warning: This one's kinda long, and I wouldn't exactly call it a drabble, either. So sorry if you were hoping for a short piece XD Oh yeah, and a **_**The Lord of the Rings**_** reference as well. Hope you don't mind.**

X x X x X

_Toa Lhikan's cloak...check._

_Shard of some green-blue jewel...check._

_Fate of the Tempest__ by...whoever it was again...check._

_Memory crystals...not check. What the heck?_

Toa Whenua frowned at the empty spot of the display, scrutinizing it carefully, his mask glowing in the gloom. This was an older part of the Archives; few even remembered it was here. But he did, and checked up on it regularly. He knew it like the back of his own hand, knew everything in it and what was supposed to be where.

He knew Toa Lhikan's cloak, the shiny jewel shard, and the supposedly cursed book known as _Fate of the Tempest_, written in a language he was admittedly having a hard time deciphering. Even Nokama, with her Rau, was having difficulties with it. Note to self, he'd have to take it back over to her as soon as possible and continue on it. They were only on chapter three...

He was disregarding the supposed curse on it, of course. Curses weren't something he exactly believed in. Even the powers of a Makuta couldn't be compared to a curse, and until he saw solid, concrete, historical proof of it, he wouldn't believe it.

But he had better things to worry about right then.

As he continued to frown and scrutinize the empty display, however, he couldn't keep from humming the song Nokama had been singing softly as she worked the last time he had brought the book to her, and he found it soothed the anxiety brought on by the fact that one of his precious displays had been robbed.

What was worse was that he couldn't exactly rule anyone out, here. He may not have been the only one to know about this place anymore; what if some unscrupulous Matoran had found it as well, and decided that it was abandoned enough for something to be taken and not be missed? It wasn't the Krahka, bless her dearly departed self, but perhaps it was another one of the various Rahi that may or may not have broken out of its containment?

If it had been something of lesser value, like, say, some ancient kind of cup, he wouldn't have been so worried. A little ticked off, yes, but not worried. But those crystal were immensely valuable. Memory crystals could only be mined in certain areas, and only one such site was still known to the inhabitants of Metru Nui (the location of which was disclosed only to the most trustworthy of Archivists).

As their name implied, they captured memories.

At any given point in time, one could look upon them and see something from a time gone by replaying in its depths. Sound included. Sometimes the crystal would only capture the sound. Whenua had caught a thief once that way, by identifying the voice, and the incident only served to convince him further of the crystals' worth.

Turaga Dume needed to know about this. If the memory crystal supply was about to be endangered or used for some unscrupulous means, then something had to be done. Who knew just to what use the thief would put them?

X x X

Turaga Dume hummed as he looked over the report that had been brought to him by Toa Whenua, the document explaining the problem and his suggestions for a solution. Said Toa stood nearby, leaning on the Turaga's desk. He took a second to recognize the song as the same one he himself had hummed only about an hour earlier, the one he'd learned from Nokama, but then focused on the matter at hand.

"Well?" he asked after a minute more. "What do you want me to do?"

Dume put the report down. "Well, I'm not sure." he said, and Whenua stared at him, lost for words. Dume, not knowing what to do? What madness was this?

"Who are you and what have you done with Turaga Dume?" he demanded, and Dume chuckled.

"I assure you, I'm the real Dume, Whenua. No need to worry about another impostor. But...this is not the first report of theft I've had today."

As the Toa stared, unsure of what to say, he continued, "For instance, yesterday Vakama came here to tell me about several masks from the Ta-Metru factory that have gone missing, all of them new and barely off the polishing rack. Just half an hour ago, Onewa was here and complaining about some of the jewels in which he's been storing energy in case of emergency going missing without a trace. And," he added with a grin, "Matau has reported that his mirror is gone."

"The handheld one?"

"The handheld one." The Turaga nodded. "It would not surprise me if Nuju and Nokama were to have one or more of their possessions stolen by now, Whenua. Unfortunately, the perpetrators have left no clues for investigators to follow. And without clues, such a case is rather hopeless, wouldn't you say?"

Whenua was forced to concede, and grumbled out a, "Yes."

Dume shuffled the papers in front of him, looking worried. "It's not that I don't care, Whenua. I know how valuable those crystals are, as well as Onewa's jewels. What if whoever stole them figures out how to tap into the energy he's put in them? The power of Stone, as you know, can be catastrophic when used improperly. And those crystals may have important secrets that, should they get into the wrong hands, could spell a huge problem for us. I've thought up a total of 203 scenarios that could occur as a result of their theft, none of which leave me in a good state of mind."

The Toa Metru of Earth was about to ask what some of those scenarios were and voice his own questioning of the Turaga's sanity in thinking them up when the double doors to Dume's office burst open and a wrathful-looking Nuju strode in, practically quivering with rage and carrying what looked suspiciously like the thievery report Whenua had delivered only a few minutes ago.

"Read it." Nuju snapped as he slapped the papers down on the desk, and one of Dume's eyebrows rose as he glanced at it. "Another stolen item? Mata Nui, not again..." he muttered and picked it up. The other brow rose.

"Good heavens, Nuju, your crystal spike got stolen?" he asked incredulously, and the Ice Toa nodded. "Both of them, actually. And I had just gotten done sharpening and polishing them, too." he added sourly.

Dume shook his head exasperatedly and rubbed his forehead. "Mercy upon me..." he muttered, closing his eyes. "First the masks, then the jewels, then the mirror, then the crystals, now this. What next?"

The Ice Toa handed him yet another report. "I almost forgot. Nokama asked me to give this to you as well."

"And what of hers has gone missing?" Dume snapped, grabbing it out of the Toa's hands. "Her pearl collection...?"

"She collected them herself, you know." Nuju informed him. "According to her, she was going to teach about them in her next lesson. That was the reason she started collecting them."

Dume sighed. "And no clues were found, either?"

Nuju shrugged, still looking peeved. "She said she found water on the floor of her hut after her pearls were stolen and had no idea where it came from. Other than that, no."

"Isn't there anything we can do about it, Turaga?" Whenua spoke up, cutting his teammate off.

The Turaga gave a helpless shrug. "The only clue was water on the floor of Nokama's hut. That's not much of a clue. The only thing I can really propose is stationing guards around any other items of high value and waiting for a repeat incident. Perhaps they'll get a glimpse of the thief."

"So until this..._thief_ chooses to repeat their actions, I'm stuck without any weapons?" Nuju demanded, and Dume nodded reluctantly. "I'm afraid so, Nuju. There are spare weapons in the Temple, but I believe I'm right in saying the only ones you are proficient with are your crystal spikes."

"That...is correct." the Ice Toa confirmed stiffly, and Whenua held back a small chuckle.

Nuju sighed, cracked his wrists (making Dume wince), and said, "Well that's just peachy. But that wasn't the only reason I'm here. If you'll look at the other half of my report..."

Dume did so and raised a brow. "Suspicious sounds under one of the Knowledge Towers? It's probably just a Rahi that got lost."

"I know, but even I have to admit that they sound strange." Nuju told him. "Like something digging. And I'm sure you'll agree that tunnels can be a bit of a hazard to something like a tower that is rooted right above them. I would go alone, but since I am weaponless, I would like to request a partner."

Dume looked pointedly at Whenua, and the Earth Toa almost immediately began to protest. "Oh no, I'm not going to waste my time on that!" he cried. "I've got to find those crystals before something happens...or better yet, get back to the Archives and make sure nothing ELSE has been stolen since I left! What if they stole Lhikan's cloak? Or _Fate of the Tempest_? Or--"

"Whenua," Dume snapped. "As Nuju has pointed out, if something is indeed digging underneath the Knowledge Towers, that could be hazardous towards their foundations. I'd really prefer it if we could avoid any toppled buildings. I'll send someone over with an order to station guards throughout the Archives while you and Nuju go do your civil duty. Understood?"

"Understood," Whenua grumbled, crossing his arms. When Turaga Dume used that tone, one did not argue with him. Those who did always ended up regretting it. Stiffly, he turned to leave with Nuju following him, and as the door closed, he heard the Turaga humming that song again. Just hearing it made a shiver go up his back, although he dismissed it a second later with a scoff. It was just a song. He himself had hummed it earlier.

Just in case, though, he committed it and its lyrics to memory. It never hurt to learn something, especially if that something was nagging at you as strongly as this was.

X x X

Standing at the entrance to the underground portion of the Knowledge Tower where Nuju still resided and worked, he felt a strange chill come over him. Why, he wasn't quite sure. He'd never had a problem going underground before. He was the Toa of Earth, after all. He shouldn't have had any qualms about it.

"I didn't know the Knowledge Towers had basements," he remarked to quell his mind.

"Some do." Nuju replied, reaching into the pouch on his belt and extracting a key, which he inserted into the lock on the door. "Only the bigger ones, though, and they usually have several connecting rooms, like this one here. This one in particular is more of a maze, really. Anyway, they're only used to store old, broken, or outdated equipment, on the pretense that someday they'll get fixed or updated."

"Which never happens, right?"

"Which never happens." Nuju confirmed as the door swung open. He gagged a little at the stale air that blasted over him, but shook it off and squared his shoulders as he peered down into the darkness. "I'm not quite sure when was the last time someone went down here, but I think it's safe to say it's been a while. Come on."

"Do you know where you're going?" Whenua asked as he began to follow him down, holding a lightstone in his hands and preparing his mask.

"Sort of." the Ice Toa replied. "I haven't been down here for years - not since...oh, about a decade before Lhikan gave me the Toa Stone. I still remember a good bit of it though, so getting lost shouldn't be a problem."

"Yeah, OK," Whenua answered, remembering how he'd said something similar during their adventure in the Archives after first becoming Toa.

Nuju seemed not to hear him and instead took the lightstone from him, holding it up and staring out into the room they were in. It was packed with old boxes, all of which exuded a musty smell, as though they were being slowly decayed by water. "Looks like there's been a leak in here, although I can't tell from where. Or how, to be honest. The Towers are made from solid crystal, so even if the ice were to melt, it still couldn't get in."

He stopped suddenly, and Whenua nearly ran into him. Steadying himself, the Earth Toa started to snap, "What--" before his teammate cut him off.

"Look!" The Ice Toa pointed, and Whenua's eyes widened as he took in the sight.

"What the...is that a HOLE? What's a hole doing in the wall?!"

"Good question," Nuju frowned, moving forward. "I intend to find out. And I think I can safely assume someone HAS been down here recently, contrary to my earlier statement."

Whenua raised a brow. "You mean you're not always right?"

"Don't push me." Nuju told him. "I'm in no mood to be trifled with right now. I just want to get down there, find the perpetrators, get my spikes back, and go home. Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind skipping straight to the 'go home' part, but duty calls. So let's get moving."

It occurred to the black Toa behind him that his friend was nervous, but he wisely decided against voicing this. The Ice Toa was obviously not in the mood, as he had stated just then, and he knew that just because he was weaponless, that didn't mean he was helpless. Nuju could fight just fine using his Ice powers and, to an extent, his hands and feet, employing basic martial arts Nokama had taught him. Not to mention he had recently begun to dabble in anatomy, more specifically pressure points. Whenua wasn't about to forget the time only about a week before when, unable to deal with Matau's enthusiasm any longer, Nuju had given the Air Toa a hard poke to the back of the neck, thus causing him to collapse, dead asleep.

Some of the things Nuju could do were just plain freaky.

The hole that had been dug into the basement's wall went deep, much deeper than either of them had been expecting. Whenua, despite his mask power, began to feel glad for the extra assurance of the lightstone he had brought alone, and he knew Nuju was too. If they got separated, they'd both still have a way to see and find their way back to the surface. Hopefully they _wouldn't_ get separated, however; neither relished the thought of being alone in this blackness.

"Will you stop that?" Nuju snapped after a minute, and Whenua stared at him oddly.

"What?"

"That singing! Or humming or whatever! That mumbling under your breath! I can't stand it any longer!" the Ice Toa said, and Whenua blinked. He hadn't even realized he'd been doing it, and to his annoyance heard the tune of the song Dume had been humming (and that Nokama had sung the last time he'd seen her) in his head.

"Sorry," he said. "That song's been stuck in my head lately. Not sure why."

"Well, it's annoying." Nuju snapped. "'To the edge of night', HONESTLY..."

"That's not the only thing it says," Whenua said defensively. "It goes, 'Home is behind, the world ahead, and there are many paths to tread...through shadow, to the edge of night...until the stars are all alight. Mist and shadow...cloud and shade...all shall fade...all shall fade'. At least get it right!"

"Whatever!" Nuju snarled. "Just stop singing it! It's driving me mad!"

"Like you needed help with that," Whenua muttered, but dutifully kept himself silent after that. That didn't stop the song from echoing in his head, however. Not by a long shot.

X x X

"How long have we been down here?"

"I...I'm not sure. A few hours, maybe? That's what it feels like, anyway."

Whenua sighed. "Nuju, are you lost?"

"No!" Nuju said defensively. "I've been observing everything as I go. I can find our way back just fine. I...I'm just not sure where we're going. I had no idea this place even existed until today, after all."

The Earth Toa heaved another sigh. "Alright. As long as you can find your way back."

Nuju turned his head to face him, looking defensive, but still walking forwards. "Are you implying I'm as directionless as that airhead brother of ours? Because if you are, I'll have you know that - AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!" He was cut off by his own yell as he fell forward suddenly, disappearing into the gaping hole in front of him that he had failed to see.

Whenua dashed forward, his hand missing Nuju's foot by a centimeter, and leaned over the hole. "NUJU!"

No answer.

He could feel the nervousness and trepidation clawing at him again, but did his best to will them away. Fear was nothing but a burden when on a mission, especially when it concerned the dark places that were more his realm than anything. He shouldn't have been so scared to come into the earth. Nuju hadn't been, not as much as him, anyway. If he was going to be able to do anything to help his teammate, he had to control his fear first.

After a few minutes or so of convincing himself and taking several deep breaths to steel his nerves, he took out one of his earthshock drills and leaped into the hole, grinding the drill into the wall to slow his velocity down. He landed some forty feet down with a thump, giving a small moan at the shock of pain in his feet as he did. He hadn't expected it to be so far down...

He stopped suddenly. First off, Nuju was gone. Second off, the tunnel he was now in was SPARKLING. Just what kind of crystals WERE those in the walls, to be giving off such a sparkle? Nothing he'd seen before, that was for sure. Perhaps Onewa could have told him, but the Stone Toa was still safe up in his Metru, curse him. He could hardly look at them, it was so bright...

Unbidden, he felt the song that had refused to get out of his head on his lips again.

"Through shadow...through the edge of night...until the stars are all alight..."

Perhaps that song had more of a meaning than he'd originally thought. They'd crossed through the shadowy storeroom and higher tunnels, and he could very easily compare the hole Nuju had fallen down to the "edge of night" in the song. And here were the stars. It was creepy to think about.

What was next? Mist and shadow...Mata Nui. On second thought, he sincerely hoped the connection between the song and these tunnels was just an eerie coincidence. Maybe that book he and Nokama had been trying to translate really WAS cursed, and this was that curse catching up to him for trying to read it. If that was the case, he wondered what problems Nokama was facing.

Whenua shook his head. Those thoughts were irrelevant. Right now, he had to focus on finding Nuju before anything else. He couldn't just leave him, and he didn't remember the way back, having left the pathfinding portion of their journey through the winding tunnels (which had split off into several different directions at times) to him. So until he found Nuju, there was no going home for him.

Huh...those winding caves could be the "many paths to tread" in the song...

At that, he slapped himself lightly and began to walk. _Must not think of the song, must not think of the song, must not think of the song--_

He stumbled over something just then, and looked down, finding what looked to be a footprint, to his surprise. A very large, three-toed footprint. And...there were more of them, going that way! They looked fresh too, and Whenua took off in the direction they went, letting his mask illuminate the trail for him. But not too bright; he didn't want to go blind from the sparkling walls or alert any of this cave's occupants to his presence.

And then there was the matter of the occupants. Judging by their footprint size, they were big. Possibly nasty, if the clawmarks on the edge of each toe-print were any indication. And if he was right, the maker of the trail he was following had taken Nuju, who was most likely injured from his fall.

X x X

As Whenua followed the tracks for the next however long it was, he took the time to take in his surroundings. This was a beautiful place; not as roomy but much more pleasant than the Krahka's domain had been, what with the sparkling quality of the walls. If he hadn't been so worried and nervous, he might have actually been enjoying himself, and be excited at the prospect of learning something new about his island.

There were what looked like several huge, cracked-open eggshells littering the path, and he felt slightly better. Ground-dwelling birds, he felt safe hypothesizing. He liked birds. Not as much as some other Rahi he could name, but birds in general were genial creatures. The ones he'd seen, anyway. He hadn't had much of a chance to study them in the Archives yet, preferring to focus on raw history and ancient artifacts.

But he'd seen Matau chatting to birds before, and remembering this boosted his morale a bit more. Birds were mostly friendly. And he was friendly as well. Surely he could do something to convince them to let Nuju go, provided they had taken him in the first place. And should that kind of negotiating not work, there was always his earthshock drills and Earth powers. He WAS in his natural element, after all.

The sparkling began to give way to a gentle glow as the tracks suddenly stopped, and the tunnel opened into an extremely large and roomy cave. He stood in its entrance and blinked in surprise. Of all things, he hadn't been expecting THIS.

Large crystals were growing all over the place, each one giving off a ghostly green glow, particles swirling in the air around them. The cave was practically filled with them, not an inch of the ground or walls could be seen. The crystals jutted out from every which way, filling the place with their soft glow.

"Nuju?" he called out softly.

No answer. Not that he had really been expecting anything. Even the Makuta would have had a hard time dragging Nuju off. Which told Whenua that he was either a) dead, b) unconscious, or c) so incapacitated that he couldn't do anything. None of which were pleasant to think about.

He took a careful step into the cavern, looking around and trying to take everything in all at once. The crystal under his feet was slippery, and he braced himself, wishing he had some way to magnetize himself to it so that he wouldn't fall off.

A glance into the middle of the room told him that his initial assumption about not being able to see the floor was incorrect, and he bounded forward, jumping from crystal to crystal in his haste to get to the white shape that lay among various other sparkly things in the middle of the floor.

As he had half-expected, it was Nuju. The white Toa was unconscious as far as he could tell, but at least he was breathing - his chest rose up and down in a steady pattern that had Whenua breathing a sigh of relief. As for the stuff he was lying on...

Carefully, he climbed down into the miniature pit and began to push the pile of valuables around, searching. His hand struck something shiny and cold, and he dug up Matau's mirror with a grin. A few more minutes revealed three of Nokama's missing pearls, at least seven of Onewa's gems, a mask that he was willing to bet was one of Vakama's custom jobs, and...his hand closed eagerly around a shape he recognized, and he jerked it to himself with another relieved sigh. It was one of his memory crystals! And it was fully intact and safe!

But he had to get Nuju to safety, and fast. The Ice Toa's right leg was sticking out at an odd angle, and he winced as he recognized a particularly nasty fracture at the femur. Maybe it was a GOOD thing that Nuju was still unconscious. It would keep him from raising a fuss about his broken leg, at least.

Which meant he would have to carry both him and the recovered items out. Perfect. Just perfect.

After a moment, he located both of Nuju's crystal spikes, which had been digging painfully into their owner's back. Sighing, Whenua picked Nuju up, stuffing as many of the stolen items as he could into the pouch attached to the belt at his friend's waist. He managed to stick Nokama's pearls, Onewa's jewels, and two of his memory crystals in there, but was forced to carry Vakama's masks and Matau's mirror. Although the thought of leaving the mirror was very tempting; after all, another one could always be made. The crystal spikes he shoved into their holsters on Nuju's back.

Straightening up with the Ice Toa slung over his shoulder, Whenua gave a sigh and prepared to leave, making an ungainly hop onto the nearest crystal to get to the exit.

A rumble sounded from behind him, and he felt a cold sweat break out over his body. He turned slowly, freezing up at the sight that greeted him.

OK, so he had been wrong about ground-dwelling birds. Very wrong. He'd completely forgotten that there are other species besides birds that hatch from eggs, and would have smacked himself had one of his hands been free to do so.

Nuju chose to wake up at that moment, moaning and shifting around uncomfortably. His blue eyes blinked open blearily, catching sight of...was that someone's rear end? If he wasn't mistaken, it WAS, and it also happened to belong to Whenua. Just what in the world was going on here? And why did his leg hurt so much?

Oh, right, because he'd fallen down some unfathomable hole while arguing with Whenua, he remembered with embarrassment. And he'd fallen rather ungracefully, if memory served. That kind of thing had never happened to him in his life. Heck, he'd never even walked into a signpost before! Well, there was a first time for everything.

"Whenua, what...?" he trailed off, trying to regain his bearings. Was he upside down? It felt like all the blood was rushing to his head...

"Nuju. Don't move." Whenua's voice sounded oddly tight and strained.

"What? Why? What's--"

"Don't ask questions, just...stay still."

"Oh for heaven's sake!" Nuju snapped, his temper snapping. He braced himself on the Earth Toa's shoulder and heaved his body upright, snapping his head around to glare at Whenua properly. "What the blazes is--"

The growl sounded again, and he promptly froze, blue eyes flicking over to the very large, very ticked-looking lizard-like Rahi that stood on the crystal directly in front of them. Since when did lizards growl? Well, it was really more of a dragon, but really. That was irrelevant, Nuju decided, seeing as how the thing's teeth were long, sharp, and pointed, not to mention had light glinting off of them rather ominously.

It didn't surprise him that it was white and that its eyes were large and milky. That came from spending all of one's time down in the bowels of the earth, not to mention it was a creature from a Ko territory, the national color of which was white to begin with. Long years spent underground had bleached the species' scales and dimmed their eyesight, which Nuju was very grateful for. Dim eyesight meant that escaping would be easier to accomplish.

"I'm guessing it doesn't like you." he said.

Whenua gave a snort. "Doesn't like ME? Include yourself in that, since you're helping me and all!"

"No I'm not." Nuju corrected him. "I'm being carted against my will out of here by you, and from the looks of things I'm willing to bet that it dragged me here, so it must have liked me if they tried to add me to its personal collection. Hey, are those my crystal spikes?"

Whenua sighed. Obviously his icy teammate had hit his head fairly hard as he landed or was still slightly delirious from just waking up. Perhaps both, if he wanted to go that far. That was the only explanation for the weird logic that was coming out of his mouth right now.

"That doesn't matter," he snapped. "What DOES matter is getting out of here alive, which I doubt we'll be able to do!"

"What are they doing, keeping a thing like that under the Knowledge Towers?" Nuju muttered, staring at the lizard-dragon-thing with narrowed eyes. "That thing's flightless too, it looks like."

"Yeah, whatever, it doesn't have wings. Which I'm GRATEFUL for, by the way." Whenua rolled his eyes. "Just hang on tight, because I'm about to - RUN!"

As soon as the last word left his mouth, the lizard charged, and he accordingly ran away from it, Nuju nearly being thrown off of his shoulder from the force and speed of his movement. The lizard let out a loud screech, which Whenua fervently hoped wasn't a call for assistance from any others that might be lurking about. Mata Nui, he didn't want to die just yet!

He took the time to realize he was running (or rather, hopping from crystal to crystal) in the opposite direction of the way he'd come in, but chose to forget that small detail. As long as they lost the lizard, they should be OK. If need be, he could probably dig them a way up to the surface, although that would probably take days to do. He didn't know how far down they were, after all, although he knew it was deep.

How it managed to move so fast was beyond him. Reptiles were cold-blooded and relied on heat for energy. Granted, it was fairly warm in here, but even so, the thing's body was low-slung and four-legged. At the very least, it should have had more trouble hopping around.

As soon as he left the cavern filled with the green crystals, he gasped as cold hit him in the face. The tunnel they were in now was filled with cold blue mist, and he thought wryly about the song once again. Well, here was the mist and shadow. Bloody coincidences.

_If we get out of here alive, I am so having that song published or something,_ he promised himself and darted through the mist. It tasted not like any water he'd ever drunk before, instead tasting sweet, and he coughed as he tried to breathe. Mata Nui, it was like breathing water!

He could hear Nuju coughing as well, and let go of him for a split second to place a hand over his mouth and take a deep breath. As he'd hoped, his hand blocked any more liquid from getting into his throat and allowed only the air, and he took a deep breath before grabbing onto Nuju again just as the Ice Toa was about to fall off of his shoulder.

He realized that the ground was now sloping upwards, which, although it made running all that much harder, most likely meant there was a way back to the surface from here. If only they could reach it before being caught!

Rejuvenated, he continued running, spurred on by the hissing and growling of the lizard behind him.A second later, he tripped over a rock, stumbling and almost dropping one of Vakama's masks. Thankfully, he managed to catch it, but then stared at it with a grin.

Just what he needed! For once.

Nuju gave a yelp as they suddenly went much _faster_, whipping around to shout at his "beast of burden", "HEY, SLOW DOWN! I SAID SLOW DOWN!"

"Be quiet," Whenua called back, a Kakama glowing on his face in place of his usual Ruru, "I'm saving your life!"

The Ice Toa glanced ahead, eyes widening. "By running us out into the clouds?!"

Whenua glanced forward again, letting out a horrible swear and trying to brake. But too late, and they went flying out of the tunnel's end into dark clouds and falling snow. They screamed and clutched at each other as they fell, although both would deny this with everything they had when questioned about it later.

They fell quite a long way, finally landing in the snow of Ko-Metru's mountain and rolling downwards, accumulating more and more snow as they went, until they resembled nothing more than a gigantic snowball on a downward slide.

Whenua took a moment to promise himself that he was going to kick Nuju halfway to Destral if they got out of this alive, but then contented himself with yelling himself hoarse as they continued to roll. He could hear Nuju's enraged swearing and had to marvel at some of the words he was hearing, but found that, at the moment, he really didn't care. It wouldn't stop him from laughing about it later (provided they survived), but right now, it wasn't important.

"LOOK OUT!" a Matoran shrieked, and several others screamed and threw themselves out of the way just in time to avoid getting squashed by both the giant snowball and the outsized white lizard that scrabbled after it in a rage, screeching and hissing angrily.

Onewa looked up as soon as he heard the cry, and his blue eyes widened for a moment before he realized that the thing was coming for HIM, and dove out of the way with a yell of, "HOLY STONES!"

Completely forgetting, of course, about his companion in the process. Hey, the guy was a Toa too, and he should know better than to stand in the way of a rampaging giant snowball!

Vakama, on the other hand, was not in the mood to be trifled with, and found that he had had quite enough nonsense for the day. Between the stolen masks, slowed productivity in the Great Furnace due to said theft, worrying about Nuju and Whenua, getting cheeked by Onewa, and now this, he quite found that he was DONE for the day.

Taking careful aim, the usually mild-mannered Fire Toa launched a level five fire disk straight into the snowball, melting it instantly and scorching its cargo, namely the two Toa who flew out of it with a cry (on Whenua's part) and a string of curses (on Nuju's). He blinked down at the items that scattered around the two, recognizing the masks he'd lost, including the Kakama that was currently situated on Whenua's face, and then glanced back up again at the rampaging giant white lizard that was coming straight for him.

He didn't have time to load another disk, he realized with a thrill of mixed horror and annoyance, and prepared to defend himself by using his launcher as a bludgeoning weapon when a column of solid rock shot up from the ground straight in front of him. A split second later, the lizard slammed right into it with a sickening crunch. He was surprised to see that it had actually CRACKED the stone from the force of its charge, and looked to his right at Onewa, who was holding a glowing blue jewel and sporting a grin.

"Saved your life!" he teased, and Vakama rolled his eyes.

Deciding to ignore his brown teammate (who was now crawling around and picking up the various other jewels that had been scattered when Vakama burst the snowball open), the red Toa strode forward and dragged up Nuju and Whenua, the former of which was still swearing horribly.

Vakama quirked a brow. "That's some impressive language you've got there, Nuju."

Nuju gave him a wild glare that honestly had him shivering a little. "Pardon me for not being in the SLIGHTEST bit rattled from my recent _adventure_, Vakama!" he snapped, his voice cracking a bit in certain places. Yes, Nuju was VERY riled up, and with good reason. Vakama happened to know for certain that if it had been HIM, he probably would have fainted by now. Not that he'd ever admit that out loud, especially not with Onewa around, of course.

He also chose to ignore Nuju's attitude at the moment. Given the circumstances, he was fairly sure the Ice Toa could be forgiven. At least he wasn't swearing anymore.

"We got the stuff back!" Whenua broke in, obviously trying to defuse the tension in the air as Matoran all around came stumbling back into the street to survey the damage and the dead lizard. He too glanced at the deceased Rahi, shaking his head. "Pity about that thing, really. I mean, even though it stole our stuff and was trying to kill us, it was just going with its instincts." It also explained the water on the floor of Nokama's hut and why there had been none in Onewa's, Vakama's, or Matau's domains. They all lived in hotter sections thus making it evaporate fairly quickly, whereas Nokama's and his own were much cooler. Obviously as the creature went, the ice encrusting its feet melted and by the time it had gotten to the Archives, it was all gone and melted. Hence why there was no water on the floor of the Archives.

Speaking of the Archives...he knelt and gathered up the memory crystals with a sigh of relief, holding them to his chest and closing his eyes. All this for a set of crystals! And masks, and pearls, and crystal spikes, and jewels, and a mirror, he reminded himself as Vakama passed Nuju to Onewa with instructions to get him to the nearest clinic and/or being with medical expertise. The red Toa then bent and cleared up the rest of the stuff from the ground, it having been dislodged from Nuju's unzipped pouch as they tumbled down the mountainside.

"I'll cremate the lizard and then take all this stuff back to where it belongs. Except for that Kakama, you can have that, Whenua."

Startled, Whenua touched his mask, realizing it was still the Kakama he had donned while running from the lizard. "Oh! Yeah, sorry about that, Vak, but it was needed at the time. Without it, we woulda gotten caught."

Vakama shrugged, a large blue-ish white pearl in his left hand. "Doesn't bother me, especially since it saved your life. Good to know my wares still work, anyway," he grinned.

Whenua chuckled. "Don't get a big head now. You're still a good mask-maker, but if you're not careful, someone else will pass you up while you're not looking." Clutched in his hands were the memory crystals. He doubted he was going to have an easy time letting them go when he got back to the room in the Archives where they belonged. By this time, the urge to keep them with him to guard them at all times and prevent another theft was almost overwhelming.

"Hm." Vakama frowned at this, but let it pass. By this time, Nuju and Onewa had left, the latter whistling cheerfully and dragging a loudly protesting former off to the nearest medic as he had been ordered. "I need to take all this stuff back while Onewa's getting Nuju fixed up." He smiled. "Nokama will be happy to have these pearls back. She was really upset about them being gone."

Whenua rolled his eyes. "And I'm sure you just HAPPENED to be there when she needed a shoulder to cry on?"

"Shut your face." The Fire Toa nudged the dead lizard to hide the fact that his mask was slightly more red than usual. "Was this thing the only one there? If so, that's a pity. It may have tried to kill you, but extinction of any species is a terrible thing."

"It had eggs that had already hatched." Whenua replied, remembering the eggshells he had come across before the cavern where Nuju and the other valuables had been placed. He grinned suddenly, and Vakama arched a brow.

"What is it? Is something funny?"

"Nope." Whenua said, his voice strangely cheerful, and he whirled around with a wave. "Well, gotta get going. Later, Vak!"

The Toa of Fire could only stare in wonder and confusion as his black teammate flounced off, humming a song and muttering something about writing a book.

A few months later, the complete novella was published, and became an instant best seller. Matoran from all six Metrus gushed about how thrilling it was, and how brave the two protagonists were to face such a dangerous beast all for the sake of treasure. Matau was heard to loudly complain about a certain song that had recently become a smash hit as well, saying that it was too dark and vague, and who the heck knew what "the edge of night" was, anyway?

Meanwhile, in the cavern that was filled with glowing green crystals, something moved and a screech echoed through the tunnels as several sets of small white feet scuttled over the ground.

X x X x X

**AN: NNGH OH GOD IT'S FINALLY FUCKING FINISHED. NINETEEN PAGES. **_**NINETEEN**_**. Do you know how tough this one was for me? Seriously. I'm afraid it deteriorated towards the end, but man I was just itching to finish it since **_**Gatoconbotas964**_** has been so patient and not bugging me about it, and I felt bad for making her wait so long D:**

**So here it is! Nineteen pages of UMPH. Hope you liked it.**

**Next up: One for **_**Kristine-sama**_**, and then one for **_**Tylterra**_**!**

**Anyone wanna request one? It helps to motivate me into writing, knowing I've got people depending on me xD**

**Review and request!**


	38. Icarax and Silarial, Talking Dirty

**Number Thirty-Eight**

**Title: I'm Gonna Getcha Good!**

**Requested by: Kristine-sama**

**Pairing: Icarax/Silarial (OC)**

**Prompt: "Have you ever noticed how erotic most techno and rap songs are?", "embarrassed Icarax", "clueless Silarial", "Makuta don't need to have sex to have kids, right? I mean, look at the Rahkshi. Yeah, mention that too in there, will you?"**

**Characters: Icarax, Silarial, Vamprah, Chirox (mentioned), Mutran (mentioned), Gorast (mentioned), Teridax (mentioned), Bitil (mentioned), Tridax (mentioned), Antroz (mentioned)**

**Warning: As per the request, there is some...ah, **_**perversion**_** in this one. And mentions of sex. But as usual, I chickened out of an actual lemon and cut it off before anything actually happened, so this collection's still at a T rating. Really, the most that happens is one character sitting on top of the other. So no worries for those of you out there that have an aversion to reading lemons and stuff.**

**Oh yeah, and one swear word. But that's it.**

X x X x X

One of the greater mysteries of life was how babies were made. Of course, most creatures in the Matoran universe were perfectly well aware of how this mystery actually played out and did not need to ask. Most preferred to not talk about the subject with anyone other than their own _very special people_ and otherwise left it alone.

It could be a potentially embarrassing and/or humiliating subject, after all.

Interestingly enough, there WAS one species that DIDN'T need consummation to create new life (besides the Great Beings, of course). This species was collectively known as the Makuta, and they were rather proud of themselves and their extensive, almost god-like at times, powers.

Unfortunately, due to the fact that consummation was NOT needed to reproduce (to have Rahkshi, anyway), a good deal of the remaining Makuta were rather in the dark about the subject in general. There were those like Mutran and Chirox who knew about it because of their line of work but were too busy with said jobs to bother with it.

There were those like Vamprah who knew pretty much everything about it, but refused to explain just HOW he knew about it, or even to explain it to those who asked.

There were those like Bitil, who had a general idea of what it was about, but chose to ignore it for bigger, better things.

There were those like Icarax, who knew about it but for the sake of privacy and the retainment of any last vestiges of dignity said not a word.

There were those like Tridax and Antroz, who just had no idea what consummation was and were completely in the dark about it.

And then there were those like Gorast, who enjoyed teasing some of the others for their lack of experience.

This usually didn't turn out too well.

It was one cloudy day on Destral when Icarax found himself swamped in work, as usual. The Makuta of Karzahni grumbled and stormed around the room every so often when he got frustrated, but ultimately dedicated himself to getting the stupid work done. If he didn't, he knew Teridax would have his head. According to the Leader of the Brotherhood, this was Serious Business that absolutely HAD to be completed, like, now.

He was completely accustomed to other Brotherhood members coming in to fetch files from his office, or to ask a question or two, or just for the sake of bugging him. That was fine.

What wasn't fine was the question he had just been asked, however. Oh Spirits, why, why, why him, of all people?!

X x X

_--Ten minutes earlier--_

The door creaked open, and he glanced up for a split second. Once he had realized who it was, however, he rolled his eyes and re-focused on the stupid paperwork Teridax had been too lazy to do and so had forced upon him.

Silarial. Teridax's little brat of a daughter. She seemed to gain some kind of weird pleasure out of tormenting him, really she did. It was probably revenge for all the times he had tormented her in the past, but really, it was annoying. At least he had never GONE LOOKING for her to torment her. He had always just used whatever opportunity happened to be presented to him at the time.

Unfortunately, as she was Teridax's brat, he had to be careful around her, especially now that Teridax was back in business. Suppose she told the boss something, and he came after him? That would NOT be good. Icarax was, er, FAIRLY sure he would survive, but...

"I need to ask you a question, so can I?" she asked, jarring him out of his thoughts.

"You just did," he pointed out, smirking a bit as she sneered at him, "but whatever. Just make sure it's not a stupid one."

"Vamprah says there are no stupid questions." she replied, brow furrowed at his implied insult.

"Vamprah doesn't talk, smart one."

"Yeah, well, he talked to me. For a second, anyway. And Mutran said so too."

Icarax snorted. "Mutran doesn't know how to spell his own name, moron, so why the heck are you listening to HIM?"

Silarial glared at him. "Are you gonna stop insulting me so I can ask my question already?!"

"You just asked another one." he said, but before she could retaliate, continued. "But hurry up and ask. I've got work to do, and I can't waste my time playing with little girls."

"I'm not a little girl!" Silarial snapped, then composed herself. Icarax raised a brow. Obviously she had been practicing keeping her temper in check, probably on her father's orders. Obviously that was where Vamprah and their "conversation" about stupid questions came in. Vamprah was possessed of seemingly endless patience (although his Matoran "guide-dog" Gavla was not), and would have gone over it with her as many times as he had to before letting her go.

"Anyway," she went on, visibly controlling her voice, "I wanted to ask you about something Gorast said to me."

Icarax braced himself. So Gorast was talking smack again, was she? Really, they had to teach her to stop doing that. It was going to get her in BIG trouble someday, if not with him then with someone else. He got happy glows at the thought of it being with Teridax. If that happened, a lesson to end all lessons would be taught.

"Which was...?" he pressed when Silarial didn't continue. He raised a brow at the look of confusion and slight trepidation on her face.

"She said you were really good at 'doing it' and that I needed to find out just how good before I'm considered a REAL member of the Brotherhood."

Oh, Spirits, NO.

"What is 'it'? Is it a game? She said it was LIKE a game and that it was really fun and that I had to ask you to play it with me...so will you?"

Which is how he ended up on the floor, gasping for air despite the fact that he didn't need to breathe.

X x X

Silarial, youngest and, to her dismay, weakest of the organization, frowned at him, blinking confusedly. "What's the matter with you?" she asked, watching him. "Was it something I said?"

"Yes, it was something you said!" Icarax snapped back, grabbing his desk and using it to pull himself to his feet. He clutched the space where a heart would have been on any other creature and breathed deeply. OK. OK. He was fine. Just fine.

"So are you gonna tell me what 'it' is?"

"Gack!" He choked again, and Silarial rushed forward, looking visibly unnerved and concerned. He supposed he ought to have been touched, he thought as she shoved him down into his chair before he fell over again; after all, she usually showed concern only to her father and the Rahkshi.

"This sucks!" Silarial wailed as he tried to regain his composure, "I tried asking Mutran what it was, but he turned really red and passed out and then Chirox said to ask my father, but Father just said I didn't need to know and that he'd kill you if you 'tried' anything, and then I went to Vamprah, and HE said to come and ask you if it was so important, so I did, and now YOU almost died too! Why is this so hard for anyone to answer?! It's just a stupid question!"

Several expletives ran through Icarax's overworked brain at this. She had been asking around for the meaning to Gorast's words? The repercussions would be terrible. He'd have various Brotherhood members coming up to him for MILLENNIA after this and tormenting him about it. Chirox was BOUND to spread the rumor around.

As soon as possible, he was going to go find Gorast and teach her a lesson she wasn't bound to forget for the rest of her life. That lesson being: one does not plant ideas in the minds of little girls and then expect the one said ideas were about to not retaliate in some sort of violent and brutal way.

"Yes, it IS a stupid question." OK, he was being a coward here, he could admit that. "So, uh, don't bother asking again. Or go read a book or something, I'm sure Mutran or Chirox must have at least ONE on this subject--"

"But I don't even know what this game is called!" Silarial protested angrily. "If I don't know the name of it or what it's even ABOUT, how the heck can I look it up?!"

Well, she had a point there...

Right about then, he REALLY hated his life. Had he really sunk so low as to explain THAT topic to clueless girls?!

_Gorast, you had BETTER hope you have a secure hiding place, because I am going to hunt you down and MURDER you after this._

"It's...it's a game that...uh..." He could feel himself turning red here. "It's a game that...makes babies."

He hoped that was all that needed to be said, but now Silarial looked more confused than ever. "...what? I explained it!"

"No you didn't," she replied. "That's stupid! Why would we need a GAME to make new creatures? We can just make Rahkshi really easily - well, you can but I can't - WITHOUT any games so why would we need to play a game to make them? Does this game make them stronger or something?"

Icarax took a moment for a mental snicker over the thought that he, a male, could, in all senses of the term, "make babies" but she, a female, couldn't. Sometimes, the universe played very cruel tricks.

"Well, this game isn't to make Rahkshi, Silarial."

"What? Then what's it about?"

He sighed. No turning back now, he supposed. "It's to make new Makuta. Not Rahkshi. Er, or depending on the species, to make new ones of whatever the parents happen to be. And that's it. No more questions."

He could FEEL the heat rising from his face by now. Spirits, this was humiliating in so many ways.

"But how does it work?"

"I just explained it!"

"No you didn't! You just said it makes new Makuta but you didn't tell me how it works! And you still have to show me how to play!"

"I am NOT showing you how to have se-- play this game! Go ask someone else."

Silarial surprised him by sticking her face in his, blue eyes narrowed and mouth turned down in a fierce scowl. "No! Everyone else I asked wouldn't tell me, and I am SICK of being denied answers. You WILL show me how to do this, or I'll tell Father you 'tried' something!"

He felt a chill pass over him and grabbed frantically at her as she turned to stomp out of the room. "NO! No, DON'T tell your father that! He'll kill me, you brat!"

"So does this mean you'll show me how to play?" she asked, ignoring the insult thrown in at the end for once.

"Do I have a choice?" He was practically pleading with her by now to say "yes" and just let him go and run away like the proud male he was.

But of course, her answer was, "No. So hurry up and explain it to me."

He sighed and massaged his now-aching head. "Fine! Fine. Just...sit down. I don't want you to pass out and have someone decide to walk in just as I look guilty for something I didn't do."

Glaring at him suspiciously, she sat on his desk, pushing the paperwork out of the way, facing him. He could have groaned at this. Of all positions, this was one of the more incriminating ones. He could easily pull her off the desk so she was straddling his lap. Which, he reminded himself, he was probably going to end up doing anyway, but it didn't make the situation any less embarrassing.

"Um, OK. This game has a great many names, actually..."

"And those are?"

He swallowed heavily, making a valiant effort to keep his eyes on her face and not her legs, which were brushing against his dangerously. "Sex, consummation, fucking, doing it, and...many others."

She nodded, although she had frowned at the F word. He rolled his eyes. Here she was asking about the birds and the bees and she couldn't even take hearing one swear word. If there was ever a reminder that she was still young...three thousand was NOT old enough to learn about this kind of thing!

"And you do it like...um...er..."

"Like how?"

"Silarial...do you know the difference between a male and a female? You do, right?"

She nodded again to his relief, so he continued. "Well, it has to do with those...differences. It's actually supposed to be pretty good exercise, but most use it for fun or when they want a baby. So unless you want to have fun or to have a baby, it's probably better if we just stopped now."

Silarial gave him another glare, leaning forward. "Stop trying to worm your way out of this, it's not going to work."

"I realize that," Icarax muttered, and grasped her calves. She jumped and blinked at his action, opening her mouth to ask him what he was doing when he pulled her off the desk completely.

"Hey - OUCH!"

She hit with a clank as their armors came into contact and scrambled to right herself. "What the heck was THAT, you--"

He placed his hand over her mouth and used the other one to wrap one of her legs around his waist, and she felt a thrill of something she couldn't identify shoot through her. Spirits, but she was tiny compared to him. There had to be at LEAST a two foot height difference. She felt her face heating up and a shiver go up her back as he placed his free hand on her hip.

"If we were going to play this 'game'," he muttered, "this is probably how we'd do it, considering how you were sitting a minute ago. There are various..._positions_ you can use, but this one is one of the most popular. It's not the ONLY one though, and if you don't like it, then just tell me. And usually, it's traditional for the male to be on top."

She managed to throw his hand off of her mouth, grabbing one of his arms to steady herself and gasping a little when he wrapped her other leg around himself. "What the heck are you DOING?! What kind of game IS this?!"

"One: I'm complying with your demands, and two: this isn't really a game, dummy."

She squirmed uncomfortably, and he bit off the growl that was rising in his chest, knowing it would only serve to freak her out even more. And the best that would come out of that situation would be her running to her father, who would then proceed to murder him with the 941 ways that hurt out of the 1000 or so the Makuta race knew.

"So what the heck is it then?!"

"Hell if I know," Icarax rolled his eyes, having gotten himself mostly under control. "And now I need to ask you a serious question. Are you willing to continue this? If not, get off of me right now and never speak of it again."

It bothered him to realize that he didn't know if he wanted her to get off of him or not.

Her eyes went wide in confusion. "What--"

Ah, another excuse! Perfect! "Generally, this is only done between those who genuinely care about each other. In a romantic way, yes. So if you don't consider me that way, then it's probably better if--" He stopped suddenly, as the red tinge in her face grew suddenly, and he groaned. "Don't tell me you--"

There went his perfect excuse...

"Shut up!" she snapped, ducking her head. "I - I can't help it, alright?! You - you're just--" She stopped to consider her next words, then growled helplessly. "You suck! So this is a game for lovers, OK, I get that, but since you don't like me, we can't do it!"

He sighed again. "Look, love isn't the only factor." Why the hell was he being so patient? She looked up as he finished, and he found himself gulping a bit at the hope on her face. "A bunch of people who don't give two hoots about each other do this all the time, so that hardly matters. However, I have a feeling your father would kill me if I did this to you without caring about you first, so maybe it would be better if we didn't."

Silarial stared at him for a moment, then grinned and slid right off of him as easily as if she were water. He stared, wide-eyed, at her as she waltzed to the door of the room and then straight out, blinking as she poked her head back in long enough to say, "I'll fix that. By the end of the month, things'll be different and THEN we can play this stupid game of yours, which, by the way, I still don't get, but that's OK because you can show me how later!"

And then she was gone, and he was left with three things: a slight "problem", a lot of shock, and an even greater amount of what he reluctantly admitted was excitement.

He groaned when he turned his attention back to his paperwork in an attempt to get her impending promise off his mind and realized that not only was it still not done, but it was now completely out of order from when Silarial had shoved it out of the way so she could sit on his desk. Just great. He now had to go through it and sort it all out, and THEN finish it before tomorrow!

Icarax really hated over-curious females. He really did. And he hadn't even gotten anything out of this mess, either, except for a load of humiliation, embarrassment, and the potential ruining of his reputation around the fortress!

And suppose she followed through on her little promise? What was he supposed to do THEN?

He came to the conclusion that he was doomed. Completely and utterly doomed. If Silarial didn't kill him with this "obsession" of hers, Teridax most certainly would.

Life was very unfair.

X x X

Vamprah blinked when Silarial practically skipped into the common area and plopped down on the stone couch next to him, causing said couch to practically bounce from the force of it. He sent her a look, knowing she would understand it, and was rewarded with an answer.

"No, he wouldn't play the game with me because he said it was only for beings who really care about each other--" here Vamprah let out a snort; Icarax must have been desperate if he resorted to THAT argument, "--but that's OK because by the end of the month he'll be BEGGING me to play the game, whatever it is, with him!"

With THAT look on her face, Vamprah found he couldn't quite disagree with her, and silently said a prayer for Icarax. By the end of the month, they'd either have a new addition to the team or would be short at least one member of the organization. Neither of which boded very well for ANYBODY.

X x X

"_I'm gonna getcha, it's a matter of fact  
I'm gonna getcha, don't you worry about that!  
And you can bet your bottom dollar in time  
You're gonna be mine  
Just like I should  
I'll getcha good!"_

X x X x X

**AN: K then, that's my older sister's request done! Next up is two (possibly more, lol) for **_**Tylterra**_**, then a collab with **_**Zanda Waffle 07**_**, then another one for **_**Gatoconbotas964**_**, and finally one for **_**Alykon**_**! Wow, I've got a lot O.O**

**And I'm out of school and looking for a job, woot! Hopefully I can update all my lonely fics that SHOULD have been updated, like, forever ago, eh-heh... *anime sweatdrop thing***

**The Shania Twain reference thing came out of me and **_**Kristine-sama**_** laughing about how the Jonas Brothers' only good song was one they covered from another artist, lol. They actually didn't do too bad on "I'm Gonna Getcha Good!" to my surprise...funny, since I can't STAND the rest of their music that I've had the..."honor" of hearing.**

**Aaaaaanyway, gimme a review and feel free to request something while you're at it!**


	39. Tahu and Lewa, Thrill Seeker

**Number Thirty-Nine**

**Title: Thrill-Seeker**

**Requested by: Tylterra**

**Pairing: VERY slight Tahu/Gali mentions at some parts**

**Prompt: "Burninate", "can be full of crack that parodies the infamous (and obligatory) Fire Toa behavior on BZP Comedies", "and maybe also 'Ask (Random Person/Toa/Group/Author)!' Comedies"**

**Characters: T****ahu, Lewa, Kopaka, Pohatu, Gali, Onua, Dume, Vakama, Onewa, Whenua, Nuju, Nokama, Matau, Kikanalo**

**Warning: I'm sort of parodying the vast majority of BZPower's Comedies section here. You just might lose some IQ points by reading it. Or by visiting the aforementioned section of the aforementioned website, to be honest. Thus Tahu and Lewa are more or less thrill-seeking morons in this, just like they are in 98 percent of the comedies over there.**

**I couldn't QUITE lower myself to make this a total parody of that though. Gave it a shot and quite literally scared myself, so this is what you get instead.**

X x X x X

The first day of that month in Metru Nui started off as perfectly normal days in Metru Nui often do. That is, with random explosions and a call being sent out for any available law enforcers to come to the aid of the poor citizens being terrorized.

This time, though, it was SLIGHTLY different - instead of the explosions coming from Ta-Metru, as they usually did, they were coming from the desert just beyond the outskirts of Po-Metru's main district. Po-Matoran woken prematurely from slumber ran outside to discover that not only had the waste dump in the desert suddenly decided to combust itself, but the Kikanalo were also in a bit of a frenzy, running wild through the plains and bellowing their displeasure to the sky.

Toa Pohatu Nuva was seen dashing out of his hut, taking one look at the mess, and then heading back to bed, claiming that not only was it "too early for this crap", but the situation was out of his jurisdiction and the Matoran should call someone who had experience dealing with a pair of over-caffeinated idiots on a sugar high.

Experience dealing with idiots? Certainly Hewkii Inika qualified then, the Matoran told each other as they raced to the aforementioned Toa's hut. After all, he had had to deal with Kongu AND Hafu for countless years. Surely he would know what to do.

To their dismay, it seemed as if Hewkii had once again snuck out to Ga-Metru to go visit Macku in the dead of night, thus leaving them without someone who had experience dealing with a pair of over-caffeinated idiots on a sugar high.

It was time to bring out the big guns.

X x X

Turaga Vakama sighed. "I swear there must be a good reason for this, Dume...maybe they're just training..."

"Training indeed!" Turaga Dume huffed, pacing in front of the Ta-Metru Turaga agitatedly. "Not only have they set fire to the landfill, they have ALSO somehow managed to stir up the Kikanalo! Do you know how much in damage control this could potentially cost us?!"

Vakama tried and failed to look like he knew the exact answer. "...a lot?"

Beside him, Turaga Onewa snorted. "Right then, Vak, a LOT. Yeah, it'll be MORE than a lot to keep 'em from destroyin' my Metru!" How Onewa was keeping so calm and not attempting to go after the two perpetrators himself was beyond everyone else in the room. He then fixed the green Turaga on Vakama's other side with a hearty glare. "And this is all YOUR fault!"

"What?!" Matau snapped back, squaring his shoulders for what he anticipated would be a good fight. "How is this MY fault?!"

"YOU'RE the one who keeps 'em up all night, talking about the 'good ol' days' when you an' Vak an' Nokama rode those stupid Kikanalo--"

"Watch what you say about those Kikanalo," Nokama snapped, but Onewa ignored her and plowed on valiantly. "--an' puttin' ideas in their heads about doin' the same exact crap! Only Toa Lewa's got half the common sense you do, and Tahu's got twice the guts Vak does--"

"I resent that!" Vakama's words, like Nokama's, went unheard as Onewa continued his bad-tempered rant.

"--an' because of YOU, Matau, they're rollickin' around MY Metru and messin' it up beyond repair!"

Matau's glare darkened. "May I remind you, rock-smasher, that it was YOUR stash of caffeine that they got into, so don't go pin-stickin' the blame all on me an' the firespitter here!"

"And how did they get INTO the stash?" Whenua asked dryly. "Didn't you mention something about teaching Toa Lewa how to pick locks at some point, Matau?"

"Yes, well..." Matau trailed off; that WAS a good point. "Anyway! What're we gonna do about it, huh, fearless leader?"

Vakama shrugged. "Ordinarily I'd say let them run themselves into a coma, but since they're Toa and have a SLIGHTLY better capacity for destruction than Matoran, it's obvious we need to call in reinforcements." Here he glanced at Nuju, who was leaning against the wall and looked mightily as though he were about to just walk out and let them deal with this problem on their own. "How fast can Kopaka get from Ko-Metru to Po?"

Nuju shrugged. "He doesn't have a Kakama any longer, but if he uses the chutes, probably about half an hour." His eyes narrowed as a thought struck him. "Wait a minute, why can't Pohatu do it? Or Hewkii? They LIVE in Po-Metru, you know."

This was an excellent question, and all six Turaga turned to Onewa, who shrugged. "Pohatu says he refuses to deal with their shenanigans after LAST month's disaster, and Hewkii is off on a recon mission in Ga-Metru."

"Recon mission, my butt," Whenua snorted. "He's off visiting Macku, Onewa, no need to lie."

Onewa bristled, but before he could tell Whenua where he could stick it, Dume intervened. "That's irrelevant! Just get someone who can cope with them down there, and do it NOW! Before we have a repeat incident of last month!"

Sighing, Nuju did as he was told and pulled out the fancy little communicator thing that Tamaru had recently invented. "We'll be lucky if he even answers the thing," he informed his colleagues, and punched in the code for Kopaka's communicator.

After a moment, to their relief, the communicator crackled and a groggy-sounding voice filled the air. _"What?"_

"That's a nice way to greet me," Nuju said dryly, and Kopaka sighed dramatically. "Anyway, good morning, Toa Kopaka."

"_Nuju,"_ came the reply, _"cut the crap. You never call me this early in the morning unless you need something. So what the hell is it?"_

Nuju chuckled a bit. "Well, you see, Toa Kopaka, Toa Tahu and Toa Lewa seem to have broken into Onewa's stash of caffeine and...gone a little wild on us. Currently they are terrorizing Po-Metru. Dume has ordered me to inform you of the situation."

There was silence on the other end, and then Kopaka spoke. _"You called me to let me know that those two morons are hyped up on too much coffee?"_

"Er, yes."

Another silence, even more awkward than the first. _"I'm going back to bed."_ Kopaka snapped, and Nuju yelped.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, don't you dare put that thing down, Kopaka Nuva!"

Grumbling, the Ice Toa put the communicator back to his ear and Nuju sighed with relief. "Thank you. Now, this actually IS serious, Toa Kopaka. They've set fire to the landfill and have managed to set the Kikanalo on a rampage. If something isn't done soon--"

"_--all hell could be unleashed on Po-Metru."_ Kopaka groaned. _"Fine. Whatever. I'm on it. Kopaka out."_

The communicator clicked off, and Nuju shot an irritated look at Turaga Dume. "Happy now?!"

Dume nodded. "Somewhat. If any of the other Toa could be spared, perhaps I would be even happier."

Picking up on the blatant command in his tone, Nokama smiled. "I'll contact Toa Gali and get her to go as well."

"I'd ask Jaller," Vakama said thoughtfully, "but knowing how much he looks up to Tahu, it's possible he might just be persuaded to join them. Kind of doubtful, but still possible. Better not to risk it."

"Yeah." Matau nodded, mentally scratching Kongu off of his call list. If anyone could be persuaded to join Tahu and Lewa on their thrill-quest, it was Kongu. Heck, he couldn't honestly say he might not have either. One of the qualifications for being an Air Toa was a desire for death-defying thrills, apparently.

If that were the case, then Tahu was halfway there to becoming an honorary member. He wondered why Vakama and Jaller never seemed to share in the Toa Nuva of Fire's enthusiasm for thrills. Then again, as Onewa had often said, Vakama was defective and Jaller had a stick up his butt. The closest Vakama had ever come to "thrill-seeking" was charging into the Visorak-infested Metru Nui without a real plan.

Dume sighed. "I don't care who you ask!" he snapped, and the six Turaga all grinned at him sheepishly. "Just get someone other than Kopaka over there, NOW! In Tahu's current state of mind, I wouldn't put it past him to set the poor kid on fire!"

"Again?" Whenua blurted out, and Matau let out a snort. Nuju glared at him, and the Air Turaga whistled and looked in the opposite direction.

There was a slightly desperate rustling as Whenua, Onewa, and Nokama all pulled out their communicators and proceeded to try to contact their respective Toa. Even Pohatu, who by this time had set his on mute and thus could not be reached, to Onewa's frustration.

X x X

"YEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Lewa screamed out as the Kikanalo he was riding raced onward. The wind was in his face, he was going faster than he'd ever gone before, and best of all, he had a REAL partner-in-crime for the first time in his life. All those pranks with Pohatu didn't count, as the Stone Toa would mysteriously vanish at the last minute and let him take the fall for it.

He had to marvel at how Tahu did it, really. Standing up on a madly charging Kikanalo without being thrown off took an amazing sense of balance, after all. It probably came from the long years of lava surfing. Lewa himself was possessed of an even better sense of balance, but somehow managed to hold himself back, simply watching Tahu ride the Kikanalo as easily as he did his beloved surfboard.

The Fire Toa grinned at him and hopped over onto the next Kikanalo, staggering a bit but still somehow managed to keep upright. Lewa whooped as he did so, unable to keep his own grin from sliding across his face. "Be careful not to pitch-fall off!" he shouted over, and Tahu gave him a rude gesture that caused a bubble of hysterical laughter half born of exhilaration and half born of the amount of caffeine he had consumed earlier to burst out of him.

"I won't fall off, that's for losers like YOU!" Tahu retorted, and Lewa felt the part of him that consisted of his manly pride flare up at the older Toa's insult. Throwing the last vestiges of his caution to the wind (where also rested his dignity), Lewa scrambled up from his seated position and took a wobbly stance on his Kikanalo's back, making it bay even louder.

"THERE!" he yelled over at Tahu, who snorted. "Yeah, well...CRAP!"

"Yeah, what?" Lewa stared at his friend, who was staring to the side in horror and chanced a glance in that direction as well. He too promptly blanched.

"I knew they were gonna send someone!" Tahu shouted, watching the white shape on its motorbike speeding towards them. He could practically FEEL the anger coming from the rider, and knew without a doubt that, should he allow himself to be caught, he was officially _screwed_. "I TOLD you this was a bad idea!"

"And _I_ told YOU that setting the dump on fire was a bad idea, but you just HAD to get rid of it!" Lewa yelled back, having sat back down on his Kikanalo. He threw his head back, shut his eyes, and let out a melodramatic groan. "We are so DEAD!"

Tahu frowned at him, still riding the effects of Onewa's caffeine and unwilling to give up without some semblance of a fight. Thinking quickly, he jumped his way over to the Kikanalo Chieftain, switching his mask to the Great Rau that Gali had given him a while back. _"Can you help us?!"_

The Kikanalo Chief fixed him with one beady eye. _"Why should I help you?! You have riled up my tribe to the point of a frenzy!"_

"_Don't tell me you're not enjoying this at least a LITTLE bit!"_ Tahu argued back. _"You guys NEVER get to have any fun anymore, all you've done since mating season is plod around like a bunch of Mukau!"_ He was pushing it a little bit, but that was where the fun came in. What enjoyment was there in life without a few risks? _"Listen, I'm dead serious here - your tribemates are havin' a blast here, why can't you join in? And I'm not asking for anything big! Help me and my friend get away from the Ice King back there, and I will...um..."_ Here he racked his brain for a minute before coming up with the best thing he could think of on such short notice. _"I'll get Turaga Onewa to move the dump somewhere else so it's not stinking up your land so much. I know it must be getting to you - hell, that was the reason I blew it up, because of how bad it stank!"_

He was almost thrown off as the Kikanalo Chief jerked harshly, and then let out a sigh of relief as the massive Rahi turned its head to face him with blatant adoration in its visible eye. _"Deal!"_

It barked a harsh command to the Kikanalo Lewa was currently riding on, and the thing barked back, then gave its head a toss. Lewa was thrown into the air with a shriek, only to have the Chief swerve sharply, nearly throwing Tahu off, and catch him on its snout, just behind its horn.

He scrambled onto its back, sitting just behind Tahu and latching onto the older Toa in a death grip and glancing nervously back at the white shape and the motorbike, getting closer. The red Toa let out a burst of laughter lasting several seconds at this latest development. This should be fun!

At another bellow from the Chief, the rest of the herd did an abrupt about-face, somehow avoiding running into each other, and charged in the direction of the white shape, who swore into his communicator and swerved to avoid them. The bike revved as he ground its engine hard, managing to keep from getting trampled and still chasing determinedly after his two idiotic teammates. He could see the bastards too, and they had SOMEHOW gotten the Kikanalo Chief to give them a ride! Then again, Tahu and Lewa were both possessed of seemingly limitless charisma; between them, there was no way even the Chief had a chance of refusing a request.

"_Kopaka!"_ Gali's voice drifted from his communicator, and he gave it a glance, doing another fancy maneuver to avoid the still-charging Kikanalo. _"Come in! Are you alright?"_

"Just peachy!" he snarled into it, forcing his bike into an intricate slide-dash that even Matau in his glory days would have been proud of. "Those idiots got the Kikanalo to help them out, and now they're CHARGING me!"

"_I'm on my way,"_ was the reply. _"But you're the only one with the engine to keep up with a Kikanalo! The best I can do is try to distract them. If I do that, can you get away and keep after Tahu and Lewa?"_

Sometimes, he really hated the fact that he had had this bike custom-built for him with an extra-powerful engine and other various gadgets. But it came in handy for when he had to be somewhere and didn't particularly feel like using the chutes. Plus, it was winter-proofed, meaning his tires didn't need chains for the snow and the gas in the engine didn't freeze. He would have to see about getting the rest of his teammates one of these things. All custom-built to deal with their respective territories, of course.

Except Tahu and Lewa. He didn't want to give them yet ANOTHER way to outrun the authorities.

"Most likely," he said into his communicator, narrowly missing being rammed by one of the smaller Kikanalo.

He had to smile at Gali's sigh of relief. _"OK, good. Be there in a sec!"_

"_They are SO violating the ten-second rule,"_ Onua's voice sighed a moment later. _"I'm on my way as well. Onua over and out."_

As he waited for them, he continued plowing on in the direction of the fleeing Kikanalo Chief, which had two shapes, one red and the other green, on its oversized back.

Finally, after what seemed like ages (and in which he nearly got run over by a charging Rahi no less than nine times), he heard the roar of Gali's bike's engine. Well, technically it wasn't hers - she had merely borrowed Matau's old bike, which was still in fairly good working order. A little wobbly from all the accidents it had suffered through at its owner's hands, but acceptable.

He nodded at Gali and promptly did another slide-dash just as she passed him - they both activated their Mahikis, switching appearances in the space of less than a second. As he had hoped, the Kikanalo set off after Gali, who was now racing back towards the way she had come, leading them away.

After a moment of driving in the direction of the still-fleeing Kikanalo Chief, Kopaka let the illusion slide away, revealing his true self again. He gritted his teeth, pushing his bike to its limits.

Tahu and Lewa would PAY for forcing him to get up at 6:30 in the morning on a Saturday.

X x X

"He's catching up!" Lewa yelped as the main herd suddenly stopped chasing the white shape - which was suddenly blue - and went after the blue one - which was suddenly white. "They switched places, those sneaky--" He cut himself off with a yelp as the Kikanalo Chief plunged into a series of stone archways.

Tahu ducked his head, grabbing his younger friend forcing him down as well. "This is where Nidhiki and Krekka chased Turaga Vakama, Nokama, and Matau!" he said, glancing around. "I'm guessing you know what you're doing then?" he asked the Chief, who merely gave him a short grunt as it continued onward.

The still-hyped-up-on-too-much-caffeine Toa of Fire smirked. "Awesome." That uptight ice prick wouldn't know what had hit him! And sure, Gali probably wouldn't speak to him for a week or so after this, but it was totally worth it for the thrills. Life was no fun without thrills, and right now, he was enjoying this even more than he enjoyed lava surfing.

"Why did I never think of this before...?" he mumbled to himself.

"Probably because what little sense you have wouldn't let you!"

He let out a yelp and looked up at the black Toa running next to them on the wall, a Kakama Nuva on its face. A scowl slipped over his face as Onua Nuva grinned at him, keeping up with the running Kikanalo Chief.

Lewa groaned and banged his head against Tahu's shoulder, earning a glare. "We're screwed, aren't we?!"

"You're screwed," Onua answered cheerfully, and leaped at him, fully intending to knock him and Tahu both off the Rahi's back and pin them to the floor until Kopaka could arrive. Pohatu would have been immeasurably useful here, as he knew pretty much all the secrets of the Kakama, but the lazyass was currently snoozing it away at home.

Unfortunately for Onua, Tahu chose that exact moment to slam his heels into the Kikanalo Chief's sides, causing the Rahi to bellow and speed up a bit. The Earth Toa missed Lewa by mere centimeters, managing to roll in the air and land on his feet, then stared in dismay at the retreating forms of his friends and their "getaway vehicle". He swore under his breath for a moment, then brought out his communicator.

"Kopaka, they got away from me!"

"_They what?! Those--!"_

"It's alright though, I know where they're going!" When you were as big as a Kikanalo, you left footprints. BIG footprints. And made a lot of noise when you ran, whether you wanted to or not. Even better, Onua's hearing was on par with most Rahi's. "I'm pretty sure I know where they're going, and lucky for us, I know a shortcut. Meet me at the entrance to the archways."

"_Frick,"_ Kopaka snarled, and Onua had to grin. _"Alright. Stay where you are, I'll meet you there. Kopaka over and out."_

The next sound Onua heard before the connection between them was terminated was the rev of Kopaka's engine, and he let out a snort. Even the BIKE sounded pissed.

Yeah, Tahu and Lewa were SO screwed.

X x X

By this time, the Kikanalo Chief had been running practically nonstop for no less than an hour and a half, and was understandably exhausted. Tahu really couldn't blame him, and probably wouldn't have even thought of doing so if the situation weren't so desperate. But, he reminded himself, he had to give the thing some credit. It was really sticking its neck out for them here. Note to self; make it illegal for any dumps to be formed out in the desert any time in the future and oversee the rest of the combustion of the current one.

However, he wasn't expecting to hear the roar of Kopaka's bike's engine as bike, rider, and passenger came hurtling toward them from the clifftops above, and he swore horribly. Trust Onua to know some sort of shortcut! The pair landed behind them, tires screeching, and he had to marvel at the durability of Kopaka's bike.

"_Can you go a little longer?"_ he asked the Kikanalo, who puffed and charged on doggedly. He was immensely grateful for this, as he could literally feel Kopaka's rage at this point, as well as Onua's exasperated amusement. And he knew he was only lucky Gali wasn't here. If she _had_ been, well...

Let's just say they would have been caught already - all she would have had to do was call his name, and in his current state of exhilarated hyperactivity, he wouldn't have been able to stop from going to her.

The Kikanalo Chief jerked suddenly, its feet slipping from under it as it slid across the newly-formed floor of ice, and landed on its side, thankfully not catching either of its passengers underneath it, and sliding several kios before slamming into the wall at the end of the pass. Right next to the entryway to the caves it had been aiming for.

"Crap...ow..." Tahu swore as he picked himself up, rubbing his aching head. He managed to get to his feet, swaying a little and using the Kikanalo's horn to steady himself. A moment later, he was glancing around in all directions, looking for his partner-in-crime. "Lewa?! Lewa, where are you?!"

"Look behind you." came a voice, and he grimaced before turning around.

Lewa waved sheepishly at him from his place slung over Onua's back, and Tahu knew that they had officially lost the race. Kopaka's glare was nothing short of poisonous, and he felt the hyper-exhilaration brought on by the caffeine finally starting to fade into sullen anxiety.

Wow.

He was so SCREWED.

X x X

"And just WHAT do you have to say for yourselves?!" Turaga Dume wound down after shouting for at least an hour. In front of him, Lewa looked, ashamed, down at his feet, and Tahu felt his aching head for the third time.

"Er...sorry?"

At his Toa's words, Matau let out a sob of laughter, having already laughed until he cried at Kopaka's account of their little "adventure", and even more at Tahu and Lewa's version of it. Still, the fact that they had made him and some of the other Turaga laugh didn't excuse them from the fact that they had very nearly caused a big disaster. Charging Kikanalo were nothing to be taken lightly.

Tahu winced and stepped forward, shoving Lewa behind him before the younger Toa could say anything else. "Yeah, about that - the reason I torched the dump?"

"Landfill," Dume snapped, and Tahu rolled his eyes.

"Whatever. The reason I torched the landfill, Turaga Dume? Because it STINKS. Pohatu complains about it all the time, can't even go for a decent run anymore because it smells too much. And I KNOW the Matoran've whined about it too, so don't even TRY to say they haven't. And, well, the Kikanalo don't appreciate it any more than they do, which is why they agreed to give us a hand there. In short, not only did our actions get rid of the source of a whole lot of aggravation, it ALSO helped us forge a better relationship with the Kikanalo."

He suppressed a grin when Gali groaned and banged her head on the wall. She was so cute when she was angry with him...

Kopaka felt the satisfaction fading out of himself, and FAST, at Tahu's words. He was making it sound like he'd done a public service instead of the equivalent to a high speed Vahki chase! "So why the hell did you make me chase you all over Po-Metru then?!" he snapped before Tahu could go on.

The Fire Toa shrugged. "It seemed like a good idea at the time. And it made me laugh. Plus, you had fun, don't lie. You'd been dying to try that bike of yours out on some REAL terrain for MONTHS. Not to mention you just LOVE getting people in trouble, so overall it's been a pretty good day for you so far, hasn't it?"

"Oh Mata Nui..." Vakama moaned, closing his eyes as Onua grabbed onto Kopaka to keep him from throwing himself on the Fire Toa and beating him senseless.

"Tahu, Lewa," Dume by now had taken to rubbing his own aching temples. There was no dealing with these two...and, he had to admit that the Fire Toa DID have a bit of a point. He HAD been planning on doing something about the landfill, and the better relationship with the Kikanalo would only mean extra protection later on. But there was still one issue to be dealt with. "Wasn't 'if it makes either of you laugh for over ten seconds, you are not allowed to try it out' the rule around here?"

Both Fire and Air Toa grinned sheepishly. "Oh yeah." Lewa chuckled nervously, tracing patterns in the floor with his foot.

Dume sighed, banging his staff on his desk like a judge's gavel. "Despite the fact that your...actions somehow managed to do us some good, you still committed a big offense. What if the fire had spread? What if the Kikanalo had trampled you instead of helping you? Thus, your punishment is to get rid of the rest of the landfill, WITHOUT elemental power, and to replace the caffeine you stole from Onewa."

Kopaka sighed with relief and relaxed a bit in Onua's grasp. They WERE getting punished after all! His hard work wasn't all in vain!

"Aw, seriously?" Lewa whined, but silenced himself at Dume's stern look. "OK, OK, we'll do it..."

"Kopaka will supervise you."

At this, Kopaka felt the satisfaction that had attempted to revive itself give a choke and die. If Onua hadn't still been holding onto him, he might have collapsed in horror. "What - NO! Turaga, aren't you only supposed to punish THEM?!"

He could have sworn Dume was about to laugh, but the old Turaga merely said, "Don't be so dramatic, Toa Kopaka, it's only for a couple days. If I know those two, they'll finish the job in three days, right?"

The veiled threat hung over the two "criminals", and both gulped at the malevolent aura suddenly radiating from the usually kindly Turaga.

"Of course we will!"

"Oh, definitely! Less than that, even!"

"Excellent." Dume's malevolent aura faded, replaced with his usual jovial one. "Start immediately."

"But--"

At that moment, the door to the Turaga's office banged open, and Pohatu walked in, whistling a tune. He stopped when he saw them all, Dume leaning over his desk, Onua hanging onto a traumatized-looking Kopaka, the six elemental Turaga standing off to the side, Gali resting her head against the wall with a look of resigned despair on her face, and Tahu and Lewa standing in front of Dume's desk like a pair of convicted criminals.

He raised a brow at the scene. "So, what'd I miss?"

X x X x X

**AN: Sigh. So there you go, **_**Tylterra**_**! You've got one more request if I remember right, so that will be next, and then all the others. That said, I ALSO need to finish work on those chapter fics of mine...damn.**

**Yes, this one was pretty stupid. I get that. But, it WAS originally supposed to be a parody of those BZP comedies, so don't be TOO mad at me, yeah? Sorry it wasn't a better parody, by the way, but like I said before, I couldn't quite bring myself to do it. I DESPISE those things...abominations to literature, harrumph.**

**Also, this is what happens when you've been watching too much **_**Transformers G1**_** and listening to Rihanna's "Shut Up and Drive" while writing. Yup.**

**...these have really ceased being drabbles and started becoming proper oneshots, huh? Dammit.**

**Review and feel free to request something!**


	40. Dume, Nuju, and Whenua, Present Tense

**Number Forty**

**Title: Present Tense**

**Requested by: Gatoconbotas964**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present." (YAY **_**KUNG FU PANDA**_**! XD), "Maybe someone (Turaga, random Toa or Matoran, maybe King Ryoku) could use that quote to calm the two Toa down during one of their past vs. future arguments."**

**Characters: Whenua, Nuju, Dume, Lhikan (mentioned), Nokama (mentioned), Vakama**

**Warning: Somewhat depressing, since I was in a bit of a "mood" while writing it. Hmm.**

X x X x X

Of all things, Nuju finds he hates reflecting on the past.

So many mistakes have been made, so many...why should he want to look back on every little thing he had done wrong in his life? Why should he kill himself with every little _"what if"_ that goes through his head on a daily basis?

_What if he had hung on tighter before being sucked into that vortex in the Colosseum, what if he had realized what the "heart of Metru Nui" was, what if he had kept Vakama from betraying them, what if--_

_What if he had never accepted the Toa stone in the first place?_

He hates his past mistakes, which is why he looks to the future, he thinks dismally. One more mistake has been made, one more mistake he has to bury and put behind him--

"I'm sorry." he tells the crying Matoran in front of him. Just one more mistake to forget...

The best friend of the Matoran he wishes he could comfort is crushed under the weight of the Knowledge Tower - the very one he spends the most time in. Surely he should have noticed something was wrong with it...

But he is no engineer nor architect. He is merely a stargazer and a Toa, and this is just one more time that he is not able to save somebody.

X x X

In contrast, Whenua hates the thought of the future.

The future scares him. As with Nuju, there are many _"what if's"_, but they are different.

_What if he messes up again, what if he cannot protect his friends from a repeat of the incident with the Krahka, what if defeating Roodaka is not enough, what if something happens to him and their people are left defenseless--_

_What if his next mistake is the one that brings everything down around him?_

It is a fear by now, a phobia that haunts him, the thought of _what tomorrow will bring_. No one can know what the future holds, and it is that very uncertainty that claws at him day in and day out. He prefers a schedule, one that will always fulfill itself the way it is _supposed_ to. No surprises.

Perfection becomes a ritual for him. Everything has to go as planned. He lives predominantly in his favorite memories, never thinking forward if he can help it. Thinking forward is too painful. Too frightening.

It is better to look to the past and learn from one's mistakes. Those who do not learn from the past

_(For a split second, he is back in that cold cell beneath the Colosseum, wishing he knew a way out and fearing what the false Turaga Dume and the Vahki are going to do to him and Nuju and Onewa, and the fear clogs his throat.)_

are doomed to repeat it.

X x X

"It is better to look to the future. The future is bright. There is always hope."

"No there isn't. It's better to look back, to learn from your mistakes. That way, you can prevent accidents."

Nuju frowns. "You can't control _everything_, Whenua. There are just some things that we cannot help."

Turaga Dume looks back and forth between the two, knowing another argument is about to commence. He sighs. Will they ever learn? He has no time for this right now, they _have_ to get this done _today_. What part of "today" did they not understand? Did they think he had asked them to his office merely to bicker?

His gaze lingers on the walls of his office, on the masks that were made to represent each of his fallen friends. So many of them, so, so many...so many fallen heroes. It pains him to know that they are all dead and gone, and that his own weakness was a catalyst in the death of Lhikan Mangai.

The past is painful to look at, too many mistakes have been made. Perhaps if he had recognized the corruption in Makuta Teridax and gotten word to Helryx in time, things would have turned out differently. Perhaps if he hadn't fallen prey to the Makuta's stasis spell.

But then again...a smile crosses his face every time he remembers Lhikan and the Toa Mangai, brave, proud, happy heroes that honestly made him swell with pride to be the one that they looked up to. He has so many good memories with them, and with his own team, now all dead...

What would have happened if they had not died?

The future is indeed frightening, he thinks. Who knew, perhaps one of the other towers in the district would fall and crush everyone beneath it. Or perhaps there would be a tidal wave that even Nokama cannot stop. Perhaps yet another one of those who he holds dear will succumb to death and leave him alone again.

But there is always hope in the future. Perhaps tomorrow will bring sunlight back to their cloudy skies.

A perfect mixture, then - learning from the past, but also accepting that what will happen is impossible to know.

And so he speaks, interrupting the argument with a slight smile on his face.

"You know..." he says, "yesterday is history."

Nuju smirks, but before the Ice Toa can speak, Dume has continued. "And tomorrow is a mystery."

This time, it is Whenua who is smug, but the Earth Toa is also interrupted. "But today is a gift."

They both blink at him, uncomprehending. The Turaga smiles at them. If they don't get it now, then they will someday. "That's why it's called the 'present'." he finishes, and then hands both of them a stack of paperwork to get started on.

Ah, blessed, reflective silence.

X x X

"You know, Turaga..." Vakama says to him three weeks later, and he looks up at the Toa of Fire.

"Yes, Vakama?"

Vakama frowns contemplatively. "Something's wrong with Nuju and Whenua - they haven't been arguing about the past and the future for weeks now. Are they sick or something?"

Dume chuckles a little, patting his friend on the shoulder. Vakama is becoming more like Lhikan every day, and he is proud to be witness to it. That concern for his friends is no less than what Lhikan would have had.

"Perhaps they have come to an understanding."

"Unlikely." Vakama murmurs, but says nothing more on the subject.

X x X x X

**AN: ...how long has it been since I updated this one? Holy crap, too long.**

**This was actually supposed to be another one for **_**Tylterra**_**, but I'm kind of having trouble with that one D: Sorry, sorry! It WILL get done though, I promise! But anyway, yes, I hope you guys liked this one, short as it is.**

**I love that quote, to be honest. Because it's so true. And seriously, it applies SO well to Nuju and Whenua. How did I not notice that before?! Kudos to **_**Gatoconbotas964**_** for doing so, in any case!**

**...I have to go wash my car. Excuse me.**

**Review and feel free request anything!**


	41. Tahu, Kopaka, and Onua, You Got Mail 5

**Number Forty-One**

**Title: You Got Mail #5**

**Requested by: Zanda Waffle 07 (also co-written with)**

**Pairing: Tahu/Gali, Pohatu/Reha (OC)**

**Prompt: "Getting lucky", "vending machine", "LAME pick-up lines", "sex drive"**

**Characters: Kopaka, Tahu, Pohatu, Reha (my OC), Lewa, Gali, Onua, Takanuva, Matau, Vakama, Lhikan, Krekka**

**Warning: Some bad language, mentions of sex and other junk like that, debates over Jesus's apparent status as the world's first hippie, certain characters scheming for revenge, etcetera, etcetera...**

X x X x X

**King_of_Ice:** Where the hell are you?

**PyroMANIAC721:** hiding

**King_of_Ice:** Obviously, otherwise I'd know where you are. Now where are you?

**PyroMANIAC721:** bathroom near the M-building

**King_of_Ice:** Why the hell are you in there? Kualus is asking where you are. Which is why I'm texting you right now instead of doing my work.

**PyroMANIAC721:** tell him i got abducted by teddy bears

**King_of_Ice:** But WHY are you hiding?

**PyroMANIAC721:** bcuz gali's looking for me and i'm scared! and i pissed krekka off too and he said he's gonna beat me up

**King_of_Ice:** You're an idiot.

**PyroMANIAC721:** u mentioned that before

**King_of_Ice:** And I shall continue to do so till you prove otherwise. Now hurry up and get to class.

**PyroMANIAC721:** ok but first i gotta go pee. kinda convenient that i'm in the bathroom, huh?

**King_of_Ice:** I'm not answering that.

**PyroMANIAC721:** PRUDE!

X x X

_**Iriuni's Random Creative Writing Class Survey #14**_

**1. What would you consider to be your special talent?**

Hm, knowing what's going on at all times. Omniscient I am not, just well informed. And I read the newspapers. And hide behind bushes and eavesdrop on the cheerleaders gossiping.

Oh yeah, and I rock at soccer. Team captain, beeyotch!

**2. What is your name?**

Pohatu. That's really all I think is necessary...

**3. What age do you wish you were?**

21, because chicks like older guys.

**4. What is your height?**

TALLER THAN YOU, IRIUNI. HAH I SAID IT.

**5. What was the last heavy lifting you did?**

Getting up to go to the bathroom. Yes I consider that heavy lifting.

**6. Do you have any siblings?**

ONEWA THE EXTORTIONIST WHO SHALL DIE A FLAMING FIERY DEATH AT MY HANDS.

**7. If you were to die and become an angel, who would you choose to protect?**

Nobody, I'd kick it and go to angel parties and get drunk past the lethal dosage because fuck you I can't die.

**8. What is your sexual orientation?**

I CAN'T HELP THAT I LIKE RAINBOWS, OK?!

_Rainbows are for girls, real men wear PINK!_

Word up, Reha!

**9. What do you think of Tennessee?**

Are you from Tennessee? Cuz you're the only ten I see! Are you from Alabama? Cuz you're the only Al I'll 'bama! That's what I think of your stupid Tennessee.

**10. Do you use pick up lines? If so, why?**

Funny you should mention that, seeing as how the last answer I gave was two pick up lines in one...anyway, nice shoes, I bet they'd look better in my pants.

**11. Who do you consider to be your role model and/or hero?**

I like to think of myself as a hero.

**12. What is your favorite class?**

If I thought it'd do me any good, I'd say ZOMG I LURVE IRIUNI'S CLASS FO SHIZ, but I know you don't like BS, so I have to say that I am rather fond of PE.

_Honestly...who says "FO SHIZ" these days?_

Obviously I do, because I am HIP and SUAVE. Don't even TRY to deny it, because it's so true!

_Oh believe me, I'm denying it. Vehemently._

**13. Are you scared of the number 13?**

OMG THAT NUMBER ON MY PAPER IS GOING TO PUNCH ME IN THE OVARIES HOLY CRAP SOMEONE SAVE ME

**14. What sort of shows / movies do you usually watch?**

I like _The Longest Yard_, it makes me laugh. And then _Blazing Saddles_ and _Robin Hood: Men In Tights_ are amazingly hysterical. As for TV, I think it's lame and stupid and nothing good is ever on. That said, I've never missed an episode of _Family Guy_ yet.

**15. What did you think of this survey?**

It was an interesting waste of time, but it's cutting into my pre-Norik's class nap hour. So I'm going to turn it in and get around to that nap. Ciao.

X x X

_**Iriuni's Random Creative Writing Survey #14**_

**1. What would you consider to be your special talent?**

_**Um, well, I'm really good at swimming, I guess...and keeping the peace between my friends...**_

**2. What is your name?**

_**Gali.**_

**3. What age do you wish you were?**

_**I'm OK with my current age...but I guess I wish I were older, because then I'd be...better developed I guess.**_

By "better developed", you mean "not flat as a washboard", right?

_WRITE ON YOUR OWN PAPER, POHATU._

HAH, says the one who's writing on not-her-own-paper!

**4. What is your height?**

_**Five foot one...I'm short...**_

**5. What was the last heavy lifting you did?**

_**Um, well, I had to help lift this big crate up last night with my sister...**_

**6. Do you have any siblings?**

_**Yes, her name is Nokama, and she's a year older than me.**_

**7. If you were to die and become an angel, who would you choose to protect?**

_**Probably Tahu and Kopaka...maybe Pohatu, Lewa, or Onua, I'm not really sure. And my family of course.**_

**8. What is your sexual orientation?**

_**I like boys, if that's what you mean...**_

**9. What do you think of Tennessee?**

_**I don't know enough about it to form an honest opinion just yet.**_

**10. Do you use pick up lines? If so, why?**

_**No, too shy to use them. Sometimes people use them on me, but I'm sure they're just kidding.**_

WHY WOULD THEY NEED TO KID YOU?! GET OVER YOURSELF, YOU ARE HOT SO GET USED TO IT!

**Uh dude that's not something you should say around your girlfriend. Especially not when she's reading over your shoulder...**

OH SHI--

_**Please write on your own paper...**_

**11. Who do you consider to be your role model and/or hero?**

_**I look up to my sister Nokama, because she is nice, smart, and makes friends easily.**_

**12. What is your favorite class?**

_**Um...probably biology, I like learning about animals.**_

**13. Are you scared of the number 13?**

_**No, I think that that is a silly superstition.**_

**14. What sort of shows / movies do you usually watch?**

_**The Princess Bride is one of my favorite movies. I like romantic movies, but not when they're TOO sappy...because then it just makes me uncomfortable to watch.**_

She wishes it could be HER and that retard she likes in that situation, btw.

_**I DO NOT!**_

Jeez, what is up with you women and getting mad at me for telling the truth?!

_There are some things you just shouldn't say around girls, moron. And that's one of 'em._

Well you guys are just TOUCHY.

**15. What did you think of this survey?**

_**It was interesting, I suppose...**_

She's all hot and bothered now because of the last question. ACK NO REHA DON'T HURT MEEEEEE

_Just turn the damn paper in!_

_**OK...**_

X x X

To: Ride-The-Lightning

From: DesertLove64

Subject: HOHOHOHO

Reha, we seriously need to do something about this Tahu/Gali thing. Kopaka tells me that even though he has TOLD Gali that Tahu likes her, she still refuses to believe him and remains in the land of What Might Have Been. WOE! ;0;

So, any ideas? Those two need to shag already and we can all go home happy.

SET YOUR INNER ROMANTIC FREE AND HELP A MAN OUT!

--Pohatu

PS: Wanna go to dinner on Friday?

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: Ride-The-Lightning

Subject: HEEHEEHEEHEE

Er...since when were we matchmakers? We have enough problems with our own relationship without worrying about someone else's. And as for getting them together...Krekka has a better chance of getting lucky than that happening. But yeah, I'm sick of watching them ignore their feelings.

...you've been listening to _Wicked_ again, haven't you?

I've got an idea, but I'm not telling you just yet. Tomorrow, k?

Is all you ever think about sex? I swear...boys...

--Reha

PS: Sure thing. Be here by six and we'll walk to that pizza place the name of which I can never remember.

X x X

To: Ride-The-Lightning

From: DesertLove64

Subject: SNORTGIGGLE

Problems? I see no problems, only all the times I've been slapped by you (which HURTS, by the way, you need to quit with the karate lessons). So you'll help me though? Sweet! This time next week, they'll be making out!

By the way, the only way Krekka would get lucky is if two snacks were to fall out of the vending machine.

Anyway.

I can't help that I like musicals, OK? Compared to the original Oz, _Wicked_ sucks, but if I think of it as AU, then I can stand it. I mean seriously, what the hell is up with this Wicked Witch/Scarecrow business? I read somewhere that there was supposed to be a romance between him and Dorothy, so THERE! Er...I'm not a fanboy, I swear, but since you made me read those weird _Dorothy of Oz_ mangas of yours I've been SLIGHTLY obsessed...

And I think about other things besides sex, like soccer! And racing! And getting revenge on Onewa for extorting me! Oh yeah, and you too of course. :3

Not telling me your idea? What was the point of telling me you have one then? Jeez, some women...

BUT I LOVE YOU LIKE WHOA YOU'RE MY SHINING STARRRRRR

--Pohatu

PS: You mean Pizza Hut? I don't see how you can forget the name of your favorite restaurant, Reha, that's just weird. Six though? I'll be there!

X x X

_**PyroMANIAC721 has just signed on.**_

_**King_of_Ice has just signed on.**_

_**Tsunami-chan has just signed on.**_

_**DesertLove64 has just signed on.**_

_**Terra99 has just signed on.**_

_**Shiny-N-Contour has just signed on.**_

_**AcesHigh45 has just signed on.**_

_**AcesHigh45, you have been invited to a group chat with DesertLove64, King_of_Ice, PyroMANIAC721, Shiny-N-Contour, Terra99, and Tsunami-chan. Will you accept this invitation?**_

_**Yes**__** -- No**_

**DesertLove64:** What's up with Tahu's user pic? 

**Tsunami-chan:** It's a mouse!

**DesertLove64:** I can see that. But who is it?!

**PyroMANIAC721:** you have to be in da club to know that, and i'm afraid you just don't qualify

**DesertLove64:** I JUST WANNA KNOW WHO THAT MOUSE ON CRACK IS!

**King_of_Ice:** It's this guy from _Rescue Rangers_

**King_of_Ice:** Tahu, I'm surprised it's not Russell from _Once Upon A Forest_

**Terra99:** That movie was so bad...

**Tsunami-chan:** Not as bad as _FernGully_

**King_of_Ice:** FernGully? What the hell is that?

**Tsunami-chan:** It was this movie that was made by a bunch of hippies back in the 90's, about teh evils of tearing down rain forests and such

**King_of_Ice:** Hang on - was that that one movie where Tim Curry was singing about how great it was to be living pollution?

**Tsunami-chan:** Yes.

**King_of_Ice:** OH GOD THE MENTAL IMAGES

**AcesHigh45: **awh, i liked it...

**DesertLove64: **That's because you're a hippie, Lewa. Now, I have to know, AM I OBSESSED WITH SEX? Because Reha says I am, and...

**AcesHigh45:** yes!

**King_of_Ice:** Um, hi, duh

**Tsunami-chan:** You DO have an unusual fixation on it...

**Shiny-N-Contour:** I refuse to incriminate myself, and I demand a lawyer before I answer any questions.

**Terra99:** Yes.

**PyroMANIAC721:** LOL remember when onewa found all those playboys under your bed and blackmailed you into giving them to him?! XD

**DesertLove64:** ...........................................

**DesertLove64:** You guys SUCK.

**AcesHigh45:** happy to help!

**King_of_Ice:** Lewa's not a hippie, dumbass.

**AcesHigh45:** yes i am!

**AcesHigh45:** just because we're in 2008 doesn't mean hippies don't exist

**PyroMANIAC721:** dumbasses for the win

**PyroMANIAC721:** lol hippies serve no purpose in this time and age

**AcesHigh45:** i am 100 percent opposed to war

**AcesHigh45:** & even though i don't do any drugs or dress flamboyantly, i am still hippie status

**AcesHigh45:** I stand for everything they stand for

**AcesHigh45:** so LAWL.

**Terra99:** Losing at life?

**Terra99:** Sure, I can believe that.

**Shiny-N-Contour:** lol

**Shiny-N-Contour:** you don't wear tie-dye

**AcesHigh45:** wut?

**King_of_Ice: **You can't be a fucking hippie

**AcesHigh45:** everything war-related i DESPISE

**King_of_Ice:** Then you're just anti-war

**King_of_Ice:** You fail

**King_of_Ice:** Go home

**AcesHigh45:** i AM at home, dumbass

**PyroMANIAC721:** ICE CUBE JUST GOT _OWNED!!!!!_

**King_of_Ice:** One more word out of you and you won't be getting homework answers for the rest of the year.

**PyroMANIAC721:** shutting up

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Jesus was a hippie

My parents are talking about making me get a job.

SAVE ME OH GOD PLEASE SAVE ME

I don't want a job! Vakama has a job, and look what it does to him! He's no fun anymore, all he ever does these days is school, work, and hang out with those losers he calls friends!

And uh...holy crap on a stick, is it March already? This school year went by fast and soon I'm gonna be old! But oh hey my birthday's next month! So you better get me something good, or I'll make sure to forget yours, yo.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: Jesus was not a hippie

You're too young to get a job, dingbat. The legal age is like 16 or some crap like that. Didn't your dad have to pull a few strings so Vakama could get his job? I don't see what you're whining about, though. He works at Blockbuster, which means you get to borrow movies indefinitely for half-price. How many people can say they can do that?

Don't forget to add stealing your slightly illegal explosives to the list of what he does these days...

And aren't YOU one of those "losers" he calls friends?

By the way, I have been instructed to inform you that you are going to be set up with Gali, and that resistance is futile. See what nice friends you have? They're so nice, they get your dates FOR you instead of YOU having to go out and do it by yourself!

Tch. At least I managed to ask my own girlfriend out by myself. Loser.

--Kopaka

PS: When the hell have I ever forgotten your birthday? Besides last year, but I was sick that day, so I have an excuse.

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: You wish!

Yeah, but that's Vakama. He's allowed to be dull and ordinary and boring. I, however, am not. I am meant to be out there and explosive! My natural awesomeness will diminish if I'm forced to start working at this age D:

I'll ignore that loser comment, by the way.

YOU PEOPLE STOP MEDDLING IN MY LOVE LIFE ALREADY! I CAN SO ASK GIRLS OUT FOR MYSELF, AND YOU DID _NOT_ ASK SHAY OUT BY YOURSELF, ME AND POHATU HAD TO THREATEN TO BURN YOUR TEXTBOOKS TO GET YOU TO DO IT! AND EVEN THEN YOU WERE STILL THE MOST UNCHARISMATIC PIECE OF CRAP I'VE EVER SEEN!

OK, I'm done yelling. Um...

This is Pohatu's doing, isn't it? This has him written all over it, the bastard...

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: Sigh...

Hey Tahu, how's it going?

OK, so I KIND of missed the homework for History today (forgot to write it down, really). Could you tell me what it is? Thanks.

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Sigh, huh?

You're asking ME for homework? Seriously? This isn't some sort of sick joke to make me feel like an idiot?

................

OK then, I believe you. Er, lemme go find it......

K, the assignment is to read pg. 390 to pg. 420. And that's it. Wow, Ms. Roodaka sure went easy on us this time! 

And you sound kind down, Gali. What's up? Was someone mean to you again? I'll kick their ass. Tell me who it was, and they're DEAD.

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: Yes, sigh.

Thanks, I'll get right on it.

Um...yeah, a little bit. But don't worry, I'm fine. It's nothing to worry yourself over, Tahu. And no, nobody was mean to me. I'll be sure to tell you if someone IS, but please don't beat anybody up. If you get suspended again, you'll be in big trouble.

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Well then! 

Here's a little ditty to make you happy: I have a towel named Bill O'Dryly, a hairbrush named Brush Limbaugh, a toothbrush named Sirius Plaque, and a robe named Robe Schneider.

If that didn't make your day then nothing will.

Lighten up and laugh already!

--Tahu

X x X

To: Terra99

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Jesus

Kopaka says Jesus wasn't a hippie. This is clearly a lie, since Jesus was the ORIGINAL hippie. Dude, I mean - "love your neighbor"? That is CLEARLY hippie material. He just doesn't know jack about history.

And Gali's acting weird. You hang around her a lot; do YOU know what's bothering her so bad all of a sudden? She's acting like...all funky and depressed.

...oh God, she's on her period, isn't she? I shouldn't have asked. GOD. Just...just ignore that last question, yeah?

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: Terra99

Subject: You have a sick mind, Tahu

I'm pretty sure Jesus wasn't a hippie, Tahu, contrary to your theories. He was actually a great man, you know. It's a pity more people don't follow in his theory of loving your neighbor.

Isn't Kopaka getting a better grade than you in History?

As for Gali...well, you'll have to figure that one out on your own. Why don't you ask her? You and her are very good friends, she should be willing to open up to you. Maybe something happened in her family.

...go back and read this e-mail's subject Tahu, seriously. You DO have a sick mind. Excuse me while I go find some mind soap.

--Onua

X x X

To: Terra99

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: I do not

Psh, _fine_, don't believe me. You'll see one day! You'll ALL see!

A technicality! The school system's flawed anyway; if it were going the RIGHT way, I'd have at LEAST a B.

Um, I DID ask, but she just told me it was nothing to worry about. Why are all women so secretive?! And YOU! You know what's up, don't you? TELL ME NOW!

And I do NOT have a sick mind! It was just speculation, GOD!

--Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: Tsunami-chan

Subject: ?!

Bill...O'Dryly? Dear GOD, Tahu, what the heck are you ON?!

No I'm not laughing. Absolutely not. Not one CHUCKLE. Nuh-uh.

OK, so maybe I giggled. A little bit.

Alright, alright, I laughed! Thanks, Tahu, I actually DO feel a lot better now.

See you tomorrow,

--Gali

X x X

To: Tsunami-chan

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: That's what you get for doubting me!

HAH! I KNEW that would make you laugh! Never doubt my amazing prowess, Gali. You'll never win against me.

Yeah, sure thing. See you in History, aka, Torture 101!

Oh yeah, do you wanna go see a movie on Saturday? It'll give me an excuse not to hang around while my aunt comes over, so...

Yeah get back to me on that one.

--Tahu

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: LiveItUp56

Subject: Request

I crashed my bike the other day and now it's sort of bent in half, can I borrow yours?

--Matau

X x X

To: LiveItUp56

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: Nice one.

Yeah, sure. Just make sure not to crash this one too, or you'll be buying me a new one.

What do you need it for, by the way?

--Vakama

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: LiveItUp56

Subject: inorite?

I just can't survive without a bike, OK?! So I'll be borrowing yours until I can get a new one. Plus it's the only way I can get to school on time and stuff.

And sheesh, what do you take me for, Vakama? An idiot? I'm not gonna crash your bike!

--Matau

X x X

To: LiveItUp56

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: But...

Matau, you haven't crashed a bike since we were in fourth grade. That's REALLY unlike you to all of a sudden have an accident again.

Did something happen?

--Vakama

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: LiveItUp56

Subject: But NOTHIN', yo

I know, dude. Just know that it was really frickin' painful and that it involved a certain oversized douchebag who will remain unnamed out of fear for my life. For once, I'm gonna be the bigger man, and----

.......

You know what, screw that. This calls for some good old-fashioned revenge, Matau-style. You in?

--Matau

X x X

To: LiveItUp56

From: XxFireworksxDragonxX

Subject: I knew it...

Oh God, Matau, not again! First Tahu (which I still need to get some sort of revenge for), then Takanuva the other week, and now you.

Yes, count me in. Let's get Onewa to help us though, don't you think? You're good at pranking, Matau, but you always forget to cover up your tracks. Onewa'll come in handy there.

...and Nuju too, while we're at it. He still owes that oversized douchebag, as you would say, a thing or two. Even he won't be able to refuse this one.

--Vakama

X x X

To: XxFireworksxDragonxX

From: LiveItUp56

Subject: WOOT!

I KNEW you weren't as nice as you always tried to seem, I KNEW IT! HA!

OK, cool, so this is gonna be pretty big, huh? Right on. Meet me after school by Norik's classroom. I'll bring the plans, and you bring Onewa and Nuju.

This is gonna rock.

--Matau

PS: Er, let's try to keep this AWAY from Whenua and Nokama, yes? I have a feeling that they might not QUITE approve...and will do something to put a stop to our Revenge, damn them.

PSS: Make sure you have access to Tahu's firecrackers and stuff, that all's gonna feature BIG time!

X x X

To: Krekka2000

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: Stop.

Stop what, you ask? Well, I'll tell you.

STOP HARASSING THE FRESHMAN AND SOPHOMORES. I mean it, Krekka. You're already on some pretty thin ice with Teridax, so don't push it. If I hear ONE more incident of you canning, beating up, throwing food at, stuffing into lockers, etc. ANYONE ELSE, I won't hesitate to refer you straight to Mata Nui himself.

And yes, I CAN do this. I'm the Senior Class and ASB President, remember? Nor will your friendship (if it can even be called that) with Nidhiki keep you out of trouble, VP though he may be.

--Lhikan

PS: Don't even THINK of sicking Tuyet on me for this. I am SO not in the mood for any crap right now, you hear?

X x X x X

**AN: We haven't done one of those in over a year, holy crap...er...well, yeah. Being separated from your co-writer (who has only an ancient PC and a cell phone to work with) can really slow you down. Not to mention the Tahu-Onua convo was sitting unfinished on Z's PC for about six months...**

**Anyway, yes, we both hope you enjoyed this.**

**Review and request!**


	42. Tahu and Gali, Girly Parts

**Number Forty-Two**

**Title: Girly Parts**

**Requested by: Tylterra**

**Pairing: Gali/Tahu**

**Prompt: "Gender bender"...hoo boy.**

**Characters: Tahu, Gali, Kopaka, Pohatu, Lewa, Onua**

**Warning: Gender bender. Yes. Just not in the way you'd expect. I was surprised at this one too, but what the hey, I'm having fun. Let's see if I can make it work...**

**This is AU as well, obviously. So they're, like, human in here. Just to let you know.**

**Also - I know you wanted this to be the Metru, Tylterra, but I honestly didn't like what I had originally written about them with this prompt. I'm terribly sorry, and if you don't like this then I'll rewrite it ASAP.**

**And yes, before you all ask, I HAVE been re-reading **_**Ouran High School Host Club**_**. Hilarious manga, you should check it out.**

**...you know, it's a good thing I'm a little crazy, because otherwise I might actually worry about the stuff I write.**

X x X x X

I didn't think anything of it, I honestly didn't. Of course, it was rather distressing to think of, but really...what were friends for? I'd be there for him no matter what.

Even if it WAS a little weird to think that my best friend might be gay for me.

Gali was very pretty for a boy, I had to admit, and I'd known him and Kopaka, my other best friend for a total of five years now. We'd met in eighth grade, and had hit it off immediately - if you forgot about the fact that Kopaka had thrown a pair of scissors at me five minutes later. The point was, we were all best friends, and that was all that mattered.

Anyway, back to Gali. Gali was probably the strangest boy I had ever met. See, he wore his blue hair shoulder-length and wavy. His skin was always pale and smooth, and he was always rather...well, short and skinny for a boy of our age. Even when we were all thirteen and meeting for the first time, that was the first thought going through my head, _that is one short boy._

He was always at LEAST five inches shorter than me growing up, not that I minded. After all, it was hilarious watching him react to being called "shorty" and other various unoriginal nicknames that our group would come up with for him.

According to him, though, he wasn't short. He was just...fun-sized.

Yes, that was his excuse.

Gali was not fun-sized. Mini-Reese's bars were fun-sized. Kit-Kat bars were fun-sized. Chihuahuas were fun-sized.

Fun-sized, my butt. He was short and that was it.

And then the problem started. See, Gali was always staring at other boys, which unnerved me a little bit, although Kopaka didn't seem to care that he and I were both being stared at. Then again, Kopaka's asexual, so he wouldn't care either way. Me, on the other hand...

I told Gali to stop staring at me. He punched me in the arm and stomped off, mumbling something about idiots, and that was that. I never pestered him about it again, but it didn't stop me from getting nervous. Holy crap did it make me nervous. I was and am not gay, and here one of my two best friends was acting very, very gay for me. It was...slightly uncomfortable.

...maybe a little more than slightly.

The summer after we graduated from high school, Gali was dragged on a trip to England or some crap like that, and I didn't see him for a whole four months. I missed him a LITTLE more than I should've, which caused a bit of a crisis when I realized this. The crisis was eventually ended when Kopaka smacked me over the head with pizza crust and told me to get over it so that he could finish eating his pizza in peace.

And so I did, because when Kopaka and his pizza get together, there's no force in the universe that can keep them apart. I swear, if God himself were to descend on a boat of clouds and tell that kid to drop the pizza, Kopaka would tell Him to go screw Himself and then continue eating his pizza.

He's like a pregnant woman with his pleasure foods. Just don't tell him I said that. I just got a chill...

Anyway, right! So we didn't see Gali for four long, boring months. As I said, it was boring without him. He was entertaining, in a slightly queer way. I mean, just looking at that kid you could tell he was a little bendy. The way he would laugh, for starters. And the way he moved. He moved more gracefully than most professional dancers.

...not that I watched him move or anything, but yeah.

So, four months after Gali left on his trip with his family, I got a call from my other friend Pohatu telling me that they had a surprise for me and needed me over at his house ASAP. This was a good thing, as college was literally about to start the very next day, and I needed a distraction from my Impending Doom.

When I got to Pohatu's house, it was maybe about six PM. Perfect, the sun hadn't set yet. Of course, everyone from our six-man group (except Gali) was there when I got there, and made no small business of welcoming me in. Before Lewa, Onua, and I could get about properly complaining about our class schedules, though, Pohatu himself dragged me into the house and practically threw me into the kitchen, despite my protests that I could walk there myself. After swearing at the floor, where I'd tripped and crashed, I looked up and froze.

I had expected the surprise to be a party or something. Not for an extremely pretty blue-haired girl to be sitting on Pohatu's kitchen table, wearing a halter top and a baggy pair of blue jeans. She raised a brow at me boredly when I stared at her.

"Hey, Tahu." she said, and I gaped.

"How do you know my name?!"

She cocked her head to the side, looking confused. Off to the side, Lewa snickered.

"Um..." she said, "...it's me, Tahu. Gali."

It was my turn to be confused, and still a little suspicious. "That's odd..." I muttered, picking myself up off the floor. "I know a guy named 'Gali'. Weird. I'll have to introduce you guys sometime. Speaking of which, is he back from vacation yet?"

And I swear to God, she twitched. "What?"

I frowned at her. "What's wrong?" Getting no answer, I looked around again. "Seriously though, that's freaking uncanny that you have the same name as him. He's gonna get a kick out of that one!"

At this, she bent her head and began to laugh, albeit a little crazily. Not so unnaturally, Pohatu, Lewa, Onua, and I all backed up a couple steps, as did Kopaka, who up to that point had been hanging out in the corner by the oven.

"Tahu," she said, hopping down off the table and coming closer to me. Jesus H. Christ, she was short. She didn't even reach my shoulders! "Are you seriously trying to tell me that you've known me for FIVE FREAKING YEARS and it had NEVER occurred to you before that I was a girl?"

And time stopped.

I gaped. Behind me, Lewa and Onua started to laugh. "Holy crap, Gali, is that YOU?!"

She leaped at me then, and I staggered back, honestly fearing for my life. Thankfully, Pohatu ran up and grabbed her under the arms before she could reach me, and he held her back while she thrashed about angrily.

I was faced with a few facts at this point.

First: what the hell.

Second: Apparently one of my best friends was actually a girl all along.

Third: WHAT THE HELL.

Fourth: ...this was obviously some sort of joke. The surprise was this joke.

What wonderful friends I had. This was probably all Kopaka's idea, too - he's the only one who knew about my, er, missing Gali a little too much, so when Gali finally came back from vacation, he'd had one of his rare moments of humor and decided to play a joke on me. That jackass!

I smiled and rolled my eyes. "OK, very funny, guys. Come on now, I know you're a boy, Gali. You can stop the joke already, it's already getting old."

Gali stared up at me, twitching again, although thankfully the thrashing had stopped. "What the hell are you talking about?!"

I rolled my eyes again, and reached out. "Honestly, Gali, there's no way that you're a girl. For one thing, you don't have..."

My fingers stopped. See, up to that time, I had been intending on pointing out a distinct lack of breasts, only to encounter something that felt oddly like the body part that SHOULD have been lacking.

It was soft. And rounded. And did I mention soft?

Gali froze, as did Pohatu, whose grip had suddenly gone slack, as his eyes flicked from my face to Gali's chest and back. Gali's eyes were the size of dinner plates by this time, and he..._she_ didn't move a muscle.

"You DUMBASS," I heard Kopaka say behind me as Lewa and Onua both roared with laughter, but I paid them no mind. I had better things to think about.

"Uh..."

"Uh WHAT, Tahu?" Pohatu asked, a grin breaking out over his face.

"Uh, excuse me, but...are those BREASTS?!" I blurted out.

The next minute, I was in pain, as Gali's foot had suddenly shot up and hit me in the face, knocking me back onto my ass.

"OW! SON OF A--"

"Tahu..." Her enraged growl interrupted me in the middle of my swear, and I looked up.

"Oh shi--" Pohatu ducked under the table, Lewa hid behind Onua, and Kopaka opened up the pantry door and slipped inside.

Gali sprang at me for the second time that night, and I swear she looked like some sort of freaking demon instead of a rather pretty teenage girl that I had SORT OF mistaken for a boy up until about thirty seconds ago.

"I'M GONNA KILL YOU!"

Insert three minutes of me scrambling up and yelling like a little girl while running around the kitchen with her chasing after me. By this time, Lewa had barricaded himself in the pantry with Kopaka, and Onua had leapt up onto the table that Pohatu was currently hiding under.

Of course, it didn't occur to ANY of them to try to save me. Not when we had a rampaging woman on our hands. And certainly not when she had THAT sort of look on her face.

"Did it NEVER occur to you," she shrieked as she chased me out of the kitchen and into the living room, "that there was a REASON I was always shorter than you and wore my hair so long?!"

Kopaka's muffled shout of "And looked at guys!" was NOT helping my situation any.

Freaked out as I was, I said the worst possible thing I could have said at that moment. "I always thought you were just a little bendy!"

An enraged scream burst out from behind me, and I dashed into the nearest room, which just happened to be the laundry room. CRAP! This was the worst room; all it had in it was a laundry machine, a dryer, and a broom cupboard. None of which would help me get away from the rampaging demon currently three-and-a-half steps behind me.

Before I could contemplate another escape route, Gali hit from me behind, knocking me off my feet from the force of her tackle. Her fist hit me in the stomach, and I honestly curled up from the pain, holding the offended area. God in heaven, that frickin' HURT! What was it with women and being able to hit hard these days?! Hadn't they ever heard the phrase "hit like a girl"?

Whoever first said that was obviously some sort of monk or something who had never dealt with women his entire life. And he deserved to be SHOT, because he had doomed generations of men and boys to underestimating their female counterparts, and getting pummeled because of it.

To my surprise, Gali didn't hit me again after that. She rolled me onto my back, then yanked me up into a sitting position.

What happened after that was something that should only happen in a cheesy romance novel (that I most certainly do NOT read, be quiet).

She shoved me against the wall, still sitting, then proceeded to climb into my lap, throw her arms around my neck, and...

Er, more or less stole what little breath I had left after her punch by kissing me. Hard. VERY hard.

Instead of responding to said kiss like any self-respecting guy would, I sat there, completely shocked.

Holy crap on a stick, my female best friend who I had mistaken for a guy for the last five years was sitting in my lap and KISSING me. Practically eating my face.

After a minute of her kissing me and me sitting there wide-eyed like an idiot, Gali pulled back and glared at me. "What are you doing?!"

This pulled me back into reality somewhat. "Uh...what?"

She rolled her eyes. "Why aren't you responding?"

"Why aren't I responding to what?" Yeah, my brain was still on the Holy Crap PANIC setting.

She flicked me on the forehead. "Why aren't you kissing me back, you retard!"

"Uh..." Honestly, how the hell did one respond to that kind of question?!

"You surprised me!"

Nice one...she'll NEVER know how to reply...

"I gave you PLENTY of time to get over it!"

Yeah, well, generally people don't go from beating someone up to practically raping them against a wall, either. This is not _Brokeback Mountain_, you crazy woman!

"If there is ANYTHING suspicious on my mom's laundry machine after you come out, you guys are both DEAD!" Pohatu shouted from outside, and we both jumped.

Gali ignored him beyond her little flinch, and went back to glaring at me. I cowered. "Will you stop that?!"

"Stop what?"

I flailed helplessly, trying to get out from underneath her. It wasn't that she was heavy or anything, because she wasn't, but any longer and there would be a, ah, slight _problem_ going on. She glared harder and slammed her knee onto my thigh, dangerously close to my crotch. Naturally, I went very, very still.

And no, I did NOT whimper. Not at all.

"How did it escape you that I'm a girl?" she hissed. I winced. Obviously she wasn't about to let that go any time soon. "You saw me half-naked last year!"

In my defense, I hadn't seen much. "All I saw was your back!" I retorted, trying to shove her off again. When her hand's already tight grip on my shoulder tightened even more, I left off that immediately. "You threw a vase at my head right after I walked in, so even your back was nothing more than a freaking GLIMPSE!"

"Still!" she snapped. "It should have been obvious! God, and I thought you were always just joking when you teased me about being girly..."

OK, OK, so maybe I should have noticed SOMETHING. But honestly! "Well, you had no hips OR breasts up till now!" I snapped back. "Nor did you ever act all that girly aside from the way you walked!"

"And how did I walk?" She arched a brow, and for the first time, I was honestly confused at how I had managed to mistake her for a boy all those years.

I sagged in defeat. "Like a girl."

"And my voice? You always said it was high-pitched..."

"And for a good reason, I now see. Yeah, I get it, sorry, alright?"

Things made sense about Gali now. I had never had too many classes with her before, being that she was in the Honor Roll and I, well, wasn't, so the only times I got to see her were lunch and after school. She was always mentioning how much she loved to swim, but none of us had ever seen her do so, so seeing her in a bathing suit was out of the question. Nor did she participate in any sports or extra-curricular activities, which are almost always divided between boys and girls.

Nor did she exactly wear girly clothes. This was the first time I'd seen her in anything other than a baggy jacket and jeans. And since she already wasn't the curviest girl around, this meant that her already small hips and breasts were perpetually hidden under her clothes.

So in my defense, I didn't have much to work with when it came to general social interaction.

Then again, she was never interested in watching or playing sports. She was always more of a reader, and more than once I'd caught her with a romance novel that I'd teased her about, saying only girls read that kind of thing. Up to now, I'd never gotten why she got so mad when I would say that.

She stared at me for another few seconds, then sniffed and got up off me, walking right out of the room. After a minute of surprise at the abruptness of this action, I followed her, closing the door as I went. What was she doing NOW?

"Uh, are you going to forgive me?"

"No," she retorted, walking back into the kitchen with me following her. By now, Pohatu and Onua were out from under and off the top of the table and were now sitting at said table, staring at us.

"Awh, why not?!"

The grin she gave me then was positively terrifying. "You'll have to make it up to me first if you want me to forgive you."

I raised a brow. "And...how should I go about that one, huh? Should I unravel a red carpet for you each day at class? Throw rose petals at your feet? Be your slave for a month?" I stopped. "Uh, disregard that last one."

"No, I like that one," Kopaka said, poking his head out of the pantry. "Yeah, that's a good one. Make him be your slave, and if he screws up, double his quota."

I glared at him. "Some best friend YOU are!"

"At least I didn't mistake a girl for a guy for five years, dumbass!" he snapped back, and I really had no witty retort for that one.

(Actually, he couldn't really talk either - when we were watching Michael Jackson's "Thriller" video for the first time in eighth grade, the first thing out of his mouth was, "ARE THEY LESBIANS?!", although he'd figured out a split second later that one of aforementioned "lesbians" was in fact a guy. Heh, even before his plastic surgery MJ looked like a chick...)

Back to Gali. She was standing with her hip leaning against the wall, one hand on her cheek as she thought. For the second time, I noticed how pretty she actually was, and was again surprised that I'd managed to miss out on it before. God, what the hell was I ON?!

Then she smiled, and all five of us males cowered. If there was any doubt left in my head that she was a girl, it vanished at the sight of that smile. Only a woman could smile that sweetly and make it look scary.

"No, I've got a better idea," she said. "You WILL be my slave for a while, Tahu, but not in the way you're thinking. If you can be the perfect boyfriend for a whole two months - and I mean flowers, flattery, the whole thing - THEN I will forgive you. But not until."

"You mean I have to go out with you?!"

Her shoe clocked me in the forehead. "You don't have to sound so horrified by it!"

I rubbed my aching head as she retrieved her shoe. "That time it was an accident!"

She rolled her eyes and turned around. "Whatever. I expect you to meet me at the cafeteria at school tomorrow at one o'clock sharp. And if you're late, I'm adding another week to your punishment."

"But I have a class at one."

"Fine then, three. And don't be late."

And she was gone before I could protest further.

For a moment, none of us said a word. And then Pohatu began to laugh, as did the rest of them, while I just stood there in shock, staring at the space where Gali had been last.

"Dear God, Tahu," Pohatu laughed, shaking his head and wiping honest-to-God tears of mirth from his eyes, "how the hell do you manage these things?"

Yeah, that's what I'd like to know myself.

Eff my life.

And no, I was NOT excited about technically being forced to go out with a pretty girl. Not at all. I was not remembering her throwing me against the laundry room wall and kissing me like her life depended on it. This was COMPLETELY against my will, and I was doing it ONLY for the sake of my friendship with her.

I swear.

"Hey, moron." I turned around at the sound of Kopaka's voice.

"What?"

He snickered, which in itself was surprising enough to make me start gaping again. "Guess this means your sexual crisis is over, huh? Just think, now you're free to think whatever dirty thoughts you want without worrying that you're gay!"

I scowled.

"At least I HAVE a sex drive, you asexual lump!"

X x X

The next day, I somehow found myself shoved up against the wall behind the cafeteria, Gali once again depriving me of any chance to breathe with her mouth. This time, though, it was voluntary on my part.

Even if I HAD mistaken her for a guy for five years, she was a determined enough girl that she wasn't about to let it put a damper on our newfound relationship (that was admittedly sort of forced, but let's not get into that).

...did I mention that I found her single-mindedness when it came to that attractive?

You know, there are a LOT of things you realize about a guy once you realize that he's actually a girl. Although I wouldn't recommend making that mistake. It can be a little traumatizing to both parties.

Yeah, before making friends with someone, make sure you know their gender. It'll save you a lot of time, trouble, and headaches.

X x X x X

**AN: I TOLD MYSELF THIS WAS GOING TO BE A DRABBLE, A DAMN DRABBLE, AND SEE WHAT HAPPENED ANYWAY. IT TURNED INTO YET ANOTHER ACTUAL ONESHOT INSTEAD OF A DRABBLE LIKE IT WAS **_**SUPPOSED**_** TO.**

**I hate you, creative drive. You do weird things to me when I'm cracked out on three Coca-Colas, KFC, Alexander the Great's biography, and techno dance music.**

**Anyway, yeah. Obviously that wasn't quite what you were expecting from the prompt, but it was the best I could come up with. I'm not exactly a fan of gender bender to begin with, and the original situation I came up with was kinda weird. But, if you want, **_**Tylterra**_**, then I'll replace this one with the first one I wrote. I think I saved it on a Word document somewhere...**

**The **_**Brokeback Mountain**_** reference - I don't recommend the movie for anyone under 17, since it's, er, not exactly kid-friendly, but the reason it's mentioned in there is because literally all that happens in it is the two cowboys first beating each other up and then all of a sudden getting busy. Seriously. Nonetheless, it was so over-the-top that I was cracking up the entire time while all the middle-aged women in the theater cried and glared at me and my friends for laughing.**

**Alright, next up - one for **_**Alykon**_**! Please check in next time!**

**Review and request!**


	43. Teridax and Silarial, Family Matters

**Number Forty-Three**

**Title: Family Matters**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: Slight Silarial/Icarax**

**Prompt: "A Father-Daughter moment between Teridax and Silarial"**

**Characters: Teridax, Silarial (OC), Chirox, Mutran, Icarax, Gorast, Roodaka, the Toa Metru (mentioned), the Matoran (mentioned), Vamprah, Krika (mentioned), Bitil (mentioned), Antroz (mentioned), Kojol (mentioned)**

**Warning: Spoilers for up to the 2008 storyline (but nothing no one already didn't know), some fairly sappy moments, character death, etc.**

X x X x X

From the first moment when he had created her spirit out of the spare bits of his own, Teridax had known she was special.

There was something oddly heartwarming when he had placed that little spirit into its armor, and it began to stir. He wondered what color its eyes would turn out to be; perhaps they would be blue like his own. Makuta tended to choose their own color schemes for everything, so no doubt his creation would do the same.

He found himself hoping, somewhat illogically, that it would choose to duplicate his own light blue. It would be a pleasing color to go with the black, silver, and blue of the armor he'd fashioned for it.

As he had expected, it was a little female. He'd planned for that, after all; the Makuta race was dangerously low on females as it was, and in any case a girl was less likely to try and usurp him as time went on. Much more mild-mannered, although he knew there was a chance she'd turn out to be like Gorast, a thought that honestly made him nervous.

The frame was beginning to move, so tiny when compared to his own. He'd made it small on purpose; he wanted to be able to intimidate her, to be able to get her under his control immediately. Another Icarax was not needed.

And then the eyes opened, and he felt the whirring energy inside of him stop for a moment.

They were the same exact color as his, but although this pleased him, it wasn't what caused him to stop.

Of all things, he had never expected her gaze to hold innocence.

She looked around, eyes wide with wonder at her surroundings, which, admittedly, were not very wonderful at all - it was merely his personal quarters on Destral. Nothing special. And yet, there was an oddly intimate feeling to it. The first time she opened her eyes, it was in his private living space.

Teridax had held no delusions about what this being would eventually be. He'd intended for her to be a servant, just another thing to further his plans along a little bit faster. No love or affection was needed in that; certainly he felt nothing of the sort for any of the other Makuta.

But then she noticed him standing there and staring at her, and her eyes widened further. For a moment, they stared at each other, unmoving, creator to creation.

Father to daughter, if he were to be honest with himself.

Then, her mouth split into a happy smile, and he found a pair of arms encircling his waist quite suddenly as she staggered to her feet and latched onto him with a vice-like grip. He stiffened up for a moment, hands going down to push her away--

"F-father."

He stopped.

She looked up at him, eyes so wide and innocent in that face. Such a tiny frame, questioning... "F-father?"

Teridax had expected her first sentence to be along the lines of, "How may I serve you, Master?".

Not to indirectly ask if he was who she thought he was.

"Yes." he said. "Father."

She smiled at him again, and he found himself fighting the urge to smile as well. Blast it but that little grin was infectious.

"And you need a name." he thought aloud, realizing for the first time since he'd begun planning for her creation that he'd never chosen a designation for her. What would be a good name? Something simple, perhaps...

It needed to be feminine, but not TOO feminine; he didn't need a Little Miss Prissy Armor on his hands...but what was a good name?

He'd always been good at thinking on his feet and making things up as they went along, and he began to do just that. Something that sounded nice, but was still no-nonsense in tone. It disturbed him to think that he actually wanted his creation to have a pretty name. Pretty names were useless in the long run; what good would having one do this tiny creature?

"...Silarial!" he blurted out suddenly. Now, that didn't sound too bad. _Silarial..._

Plus, it was a name of his own making. He'd merely strung together random syllables in his head and blurted them out. _I suppose I should count myself lucky that I got it right the first time..._

His creation let go of him and pointed to herself with one delicate finger, cocking her head to one side, and he resisted the urge to laugh. For what was supposed to have been a battle machine from the get-go, she was surprisingly childlike. Which actually WASN'T so surprising, he decided. Unlike the Rahkshi, she wasn't merely a piece of his own consciousness given life - she was a brand new living being, and one that would have to learn as she went along.

"Yes." he said, and pointed to her as well. "You are Silarial. You are my daughter."

She smiled and pointed at him. "F-father," she said, and then pointed to herself. "S-Sila..." she started, faltering. "Sila..."

"It's alright." Teridax placed a hand on her shoulder, making her look up at him. "Wait until you've got a better grasp of speaking, and then try it. It IS a bit of a mouthful."

She smiled and embraced him again, and he almost returned it. Almost.

A moment later, when he appeared in Mutran and Chirox's lab with her clutched to his chest, he gave into the urge to crack a grin at their shocked faces. Neither of the two mad scientists moved as he set Silarial down and began to lead her over to Mutran's lab table.

"Check her," he ordered. "If you see anything out of order, report and fix it."

"Uh, Teridax?" the black and green Makuta ventured.

"What?"

"Where did...did she come from?" he asked, pointing to the black, silver, and blue creature now sitting on his lab table and blinking at him with big, curious eyes.

Teridax rolled his eyes. "I created her, you halfwit," he snapped. "Now get to work!"

Chirox sighed and shoved Mutran out of the way, stooping a bit to take a look at the young Makuta on the lab table. He took her face in his hands, turning it this way and that, then made her turn around to check the joints of her back. "No bits appear to be leaking," he said. "Did you make this yourself?"

His boss nodded, and he continued his check as Mutran rose, grumbling, from the floor where he'd been shoved. "That's MY job," he snarled at the black and silver Makuta, who merely rolled his eyes and shrugged. "Oh shut up, Mutran. If I let you near her, you'd probably spill some energized protodermis on her just to see what it would do."

"I would not!" Mutran protested, affronted.

"Be quiet and get on with it!" Teridax snapped, and both lower-ranked Makuta flinched. With renewed vigor, Chirox continued his check-up of the small female, culminating with feeling her chest plate for cracks or open seams. Finally, he peered into her face, forcing her mouth open with his fingers and using his other hand to hold her head in place as she tried to move away. "Say something for me," he said, and she blinked.

Silence.

"Can she talk?" he asked Teridax, who nodded.

"Speak, Silarial," he commanded, and she shifted, looking uncomfortable.

"S-s-s--"

Was she trying to say her name again, her creator wondered, when she blurted out:

"Scary!"

Silence reigned once more as Chirox blinked, completely nonplussed. After a moment, Mutran began to laugh, and even Teridax cracked a smile.

"Should I take that as a compliment...?" the black and silver Makuta muttered, before turning back to his boss. "She seems to be just fine, sir. No discrepancies in her design, and her senses seem to be in order."

"When will she begin to use her powers?" Teridax asked, and Mutran and Chirox looked at each other before both shrugged.

"Dunno." Mutran replied. "Never something I bothered lookin' up. We all started using ours after a couple days, though."

"Then I can expect her to begin being...useful within a week?"

Both scientists nodded. "Far as we know." Chirox said, and Teridax nodded again, pulling his creation off the table.

"Good."

And then they were gone, having teleported away, probably to meet the rest of the Brotherhood. Chirox turned to Mutran, and for once, he knew they agreed on something.

Life was about to get a bit more interesting around Destral.

X x X

Teridax could not say he approved of the way his daughter - his _creation_ looked at his second-in-command. It was natural for females to be somewhat attracted to Icarax's naturally dark aura and somewhat badboy-ish personality, but that didn't mean he had to like it. Especially not when it was his own daughter doing the staring.

Granted, Icarax ignored her most of the time, for which Teridax supposed he ought to be grateful for. And yet, something tore at his nonexistent heartstrings when she would come seek him out, looking for comfort and eyes wide and filled with hurt after yet another unsuccessful attempt to get the red Makuta's attention.

He had to admit that none of the idiots in his employment were quite good enough for his personal creation. Not a one of them. Particularly Icarax, who was a nuisance in the fact that he was constantly trying to one-up the Brotherhood Leader.

She was speaking easier now, stumbling only over longer words, although saying her own name was still a challenge for her. It drove him insane; why could she not say it properly? No one else had that problem, not even the few Stage Seven kraata they had crawling about the place. They'd all gotten it right on the first try.

She worried him. Making her frame so small was a mistake, he was coming to realize, although at the time it had seemed a good idea. He didn't intimidate her as much as he would have hoped (although a part of him was also strangely grateful for this fact), she was often knocked over by the larger, stronger members of the Brotherhood, and her physical strength was average at best.

It was all very frustrating to say the least.

X x X

The first real scare of his life came when he went to the quarters he had allotted her to find her missing one day. Had he not made his instructions clear enough; _don't leave your room unless I am there or I say you can?_ What part of that had she not understood?

Teridax had up to that point considered himself a good parent. What he taught her, she absorbed like a sponge, and she was learning more every day. She did not argue with him, but instead followed his orders unquestioningly (until then, that was). He managed to control her without hindering her, and in this he considered himself a success.

But losing track of your child was one of the traits of a BAD parent, he reminded himself, becoming more and more panicked as the minutes ticked by.

Mutran and Chirox had paused in their arguing long enough to tell him they had no clue where she was, and Vamprah, busy being bored in the common area, didn't know either. Neither did Gorast, or Krika, or Bitil, or Antroz, or Kojol, or any of the others he came across in his search. Despite this, he pressed them all into service looking for her, to their dismay. They had better things to do than hunt down a brat, Gorast told him. Such as keep working on the Plan.

He kicked her in the chest and told her to get going before he did worse, and was gratified when she did, albeit angrily.

Finally, Krika came running up to him and told him he'd found Silarial, but before he could ask where, the younger Makuta had begun to drag him away, telling him to be quiet. Despite his panic, Teridax found that he was curious. What did he have to be quiet about? And just where was Silarial?

When he found himself outside of Icarax's room, however, he felt himself getting angry again. That little bastard wouldn't DARE to do what he thought he was doing, would he? Oh if he was, then he--

His second-in-command's annoyed voice floated from beyond the closed door, interrupting his thoughts.

"No, that's wrong. Try again."

Try WHAT again? Just what was he doing to her?

Krika smiled and shook his head when his boss looked at him questioningly, gesturing to the door once again. _You'll see, _he mouthed.

Soon, his daughter's voice came, small and hesitant. "S...Silar...?"

"Keep going." said Icarax's voice. "You're nearly there."

"...r-ri..."

"Almost."

"...ri...al."

She'd said her name.

"Good." said Icarax, and Teridax was shocked to hear the pleased note in his voice. "Now try saying it all together."

"S-Sila...r-rial...?"

"Silarial." Icarax said, measuring each syllable out evenly.

"S...Silari...al."

Krika's smile was oddly smug as Teridax turned to him, genuinely shocked.

"Something wrong, sir?" he asked.

Teridax said nothing, merely turned on his heel after ordering his subordinate to remain there and bring Silarial back to him as soon as Icarax was done with the diction lesson.

This wasn't good. If this kept up, she would begin to grow attached to others besides himself. Which wasn't acceptable.

It was in the best interests of all involved if she disappeared for a while...not to mention her own. He didn't know what would happen if she allowed herself to get attached to Icarax. The only one she should form an attachment to was HIM, and even then only out of loyalty to her creator.

And yet, that wasn't the only reason, was it?

X x X

The look on her face when he brought her to Voya Nui was hard to deal with. She looked as if he'd just betrayed her when he told her she was to stay there until further notice.

"But...w-why?" she asked, voice breaking a bit. Like all Makuta, she was incapable of crying, but damn if she didn't look like she was about to burst into tears at any second. "D-did I do something wrong?"

"No." Teridax said shortly, looking around the room, its heavy stone door leading to who-knew-where, the various artifacts all around. "You'll be safe as long as you're here. Much safer than on Destral with me being gone over the next few millennia."

"But..."

"But nothing, child." he said icily, and she flinched. "You will remain here until further notice. Am I understood?"

For a moment, she merely stood there and stared at him, all seven feet of her quivering with hurt and confusion, and then she nodded. _Just like a good little girl..._

He nodded, "Good." and turned to leave. And then a pair of arms wrapped around his torso, and he was forced to stop or jerk his creation off of her feet and perhaps send both of them to the floor.

She was embracing him.

Granted, it wasn't the first time she'd done it, but it WAS the first since her creation day. He disliked touching, and had been grateful that she seemed to pick up on that, for she never touched him without good reason. But now she was holding him to herself as best she could, even though she was so small that her arms just barely wrapped all the way around his waist.

Emotions, most of which he had never felt before, rose in him, and he allowed himself to place a hand over one of hers, covering it entirely. _If you need me,_ he said to her through telepathy, _you can always reach me like this._

"OK." she replied, muffled by his back, and released him.

It was the last time he saw her for two thousand long, lonely years, years that he spent in the guise of Turaga Dume on Metru Nui, the island he'd been assigned to guard by Mata Nui himself.

X x X

The Cataclysm was painful. And he was trapped in protodermis, unable to move. But what made it all the more agonizing was the voice that rang through his head, terrified and crying out for him to come to the rescue.

She was hurt, he knew, although just how bad he didn't know. But obviously her injuries were great, if the fear and pain that permeated their mental link when she cried out for him - _"Father, help me! Father, it hurts! Father, please--"_ - were any indication, and it drove him mad knowing he was unable to come to her aid as he so desperately wanted, _needed_ to. If he didn't do something soon, then she was going to die.

The thought of her dying was inexplicably painful.

For some reason, none of the other Makuta answered his mental calls, and he was forced to consider the possibility that they couldn't hear him. Perhaps the only reason Silarial was able to reach him was because she had been created by him and had a bond to him in a way that no other living being did. In any case, he was unable to reach her as well. All he could do was receive her frantic, terrified pleas for help.

Suddenly, there was silence, and he felt a real thrill of fear lance through him. _Silarial?_ he transmitted to her. _Silarial?!_

Still nothing.

He didn't know how long he kept trying to reach her, it all blurred together, the panic, the fear, the pain from his own injuries, everything.

And then - light.

The protodermis encasing him was broken, and he saw through the shard his servant Roodaka had carved from his prison that she too was in pain and calling for him. First things first, Roodaka must be rescued.

He grabbed her with the shadow hand technique and, using the fragments of that same little shard, teleported her to his side. And now for the most important thing, he thought, lifting the unconscious Vortixx over his shoulder and preparing to teleport to Voya Nui. Rescuing his creation from death. And if she was dead...then retrieving her armor.

When they arrived on Voya Nui, inside of the same cavern he had left Silarial in, he placed Roodaka on the floor, where she moaned, finally beginning to come to. But Teridax was paying no attention to that.

Lying on the ground was the giant stone door that guarded the mysterious place beyond. And underneath that door was his daughter's unmoving body.

Something inside of him froze when he saw the huge break in her armor the door's collapse had caused, the feeble light of her soul threatening to escape. One small hand was desperately clutching the broken armor closed, although small tendrils of her soul were just beginning to seep through.

Carefully so as not to make it worse, Teridax lifted the door off of her, but still she did not move. _Silarial?_ he tried probing with his mind, but she was silent. Even more carefully, he knelt by her and removed her hand from the crack in her armor. Before her spirit could fly out, he bent it closed with a horrible snapping sound, and began to weld it closed.

At the first touch of his heat power, she stirred, a pained moan drifting from her mouth. So she was alive, just unconscious. Relief the likes of which he had never known pulsed through him, and it was with surprising gentle-ness that he picked her up in his arms once she was out of danger.

"F-father?" That familiar stutter...

"Yes. I am here." he replied, and she opened her eyes. Though a full two thousand years older now, she was still the same as she had been when he left her, he was glad to see. The bright blue eyes which, when alighting upon him, were filled with such trust and comfort; the tiny frame, the soft voice...all of it was there. The sole difference was her injury and the amount of pain it was causing her.

But she was safe and alive, he reminded himself as he went back to collect Roodaka, and then to transport both of them to safety - Roodaka to her homeland and Silarial to Destral. _New orders,_ he told her telepathically as she vanished from his arms. _Remain there and do not leave._

_I will not, _she replied, somewhat woozily. He smiled.

_Go find Chirox and Mutran and tell them to fix you._

_Father..._ she sounded hesitant and afraid again.

_Yes?_

_When will you come back?_

He was silent for a moment, and she repeated her question.

_I will be back when I wish to come back,_ he answered finally, and at this he could practically feel Silarial's wince. _Do not leave Destral for any reason. I will return someday._

_Alright..._ she said softly, and the telepathic connection between them was terminated. Teridax smiled; no matter what, he knew she would follow his orders in this. Such a loyal being she was; willing to follow him to the ends of the Universe if she had to. Icarax would watch over her, although he was not happy about this arrangement. While the red and black Makuta was indeed a good soldier, he didn't fully trust him. To be honest, she'd be safer with Krika.

But she trusted Icarax for some inexplicable reason, probably because of the role he'd played in her finally being able to speak without stuttering anymore. The only other member of the Brotherhood she trusted to an extent anywhere near that (besides Teridax himself, of course) was Vamprah.

With one last glance at the door that had fallen on her, Teridax heaved it back upright, fixing it. Whatever was hidden behind it he did not know, and did not care at that current point in time. And, he reflected sourly, it was only a matter of time before that insufferable dog Botar showed up to check on things. The less indication of trouble there was, the better. Grudgingly, he finished repairing the stone door, and then vanished to reappear back on Metru Nui.

To his surprise, it was deserted once again, the Matoran and the Toa Metru gone. All that was left...frenzied Rahi. Ruined buildings. Green webbing all over. Gorast would have a field day to see what the Visorak horde had accomplished since she had conquered them...

It took him only moments to realize where the Toa had gone. A small island to the south; they'd been going there when he'd confronted them and they'd sealed him inside that blasted protodermis shell. It stood to reason that they'd go back.

Teridax allowed himself a smirk. If they thought that this was the end of it, then they were sorely mistaken. Let Icarax and the others stew without him for a bit; Antroz and Krika would keep the red Makuta from screwing things up TOO badly. This looked to be fun...

X x X

Home after a thousand years...it was odd to be back on Destral after his third setback at the hands of a group of Toa. But this time, it was the prophesied group, the one he'd worked so hard to prevent the arrival of.

The Toa Mata, they'd called themselves the first time around. By the time he saw them next, they'd reformed into the Toa Nuva. Bloody fools. Did they honestly think they had defeated him for real? It was impossible to defeat Makuta Teridax for REAL; countless others had tried and failed. Hell, Icarax had been trying for millennia to usurp him, not that it had ever worked...or WOULD work, for that matter.

Silarial was not present at the first meeting what was left of the Brotherhood held in a thousand years, and Teridax pushed down the worry that gripped him at this. Why had she not been there to greet him? Had she disobeyed him and left Destral? She was not answering his mental probes, nor could he sense her anywhere near.

After the meeting, he cornered Vamprah, who was as courteous and cold as always, inquiring about his daughter's current location. Vamprah's only response was to point outside, towards the chilly rock dunes where the Rahkshi foraged and patrolled.

What was she doing out there, Teridax wondered, and why? A weaker Makuta such as she had no business being out there. She would be safer inside, away from any prying eyes or unwelcome visitors (which were rare, but not unheard of). If she had been injured in some way and left out there, he would bring down all his wrath on Icarax's head...

Vamprah led him outside, to the rock dunes, through them, all the way to the deepest area, riddled with caves. As they went, Teridax could see the red eyes of various Visorak watching him. Amusingly, some of them bowed to him as he and Vamprah passed. Good. They still knew who their master was.

The blue Makuta led him into one of the caves without stopping to consider which one, and Teridax automatically knew he had done this several times in the past. Obviously he was the one who looked after Silarial the most. For this, he would be rewarded, Teridax decided, although just how was a decision for later.

It also explained why he could not reach her through telepathy; the layers of rock and dirt would be too thick for waves of any kind to penetrate. They would just bounce right off and disappear.

"I take it you are forced to do this often," he said out loud. Vamprah nodded without looking back. _Four times a week, at the very least,_ he replied mentally. _I am the only one with the senses to locate her wherever she goes._

He paused. _The only other who can find her with as much speed is Icarax._

Teridax frowned, and the blue Makuta said nothing more, merely pressing forward. They walked a long, long time, deep into the underground, before Vamprah stopped, cocking his head to one side.

"Come out, little mouse," he said, voice echoing in the tunnel. "It is useless attempting to hide yourself from me."

The shadows in front of them shifted, then began to pool together, forming into a shape that was immediately familiar to Teridax. Slowly, she rose up out of the shadows and into her regular self, a small smile on her face.

"That is a new record." Silarial said to Vamprah. "Thirteen minutes less than last time. You..." She halted when she saw the tall, dark shape that loomed behind the blue Makuta, and stared, blue eyes wide.

"Well?" Teridax said, amused at her shocked face. "Are you not pleased to see me? With all the fuss you made a millennium ago, I thought I would receive a better welcome than thi--"

He was cut off as she threw herself at him, impacting right in his midsection, arms wrapped around him tightly. "Father!" she cried, tightening her grip and practically denting his armor. She had grown stronger in his absence, he was pleased to admit, although he busied himself with placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It is good to see you again too, child."

Vamprah walked ahead of them as they began to make their way out of the tunnel and back to the fortress, Silarial talking excitedly the whole time. "Antroz says the Plan is coming along nicely," she said happily. "Soon everything will fall into place, even if you did not get the Kanohi Ignika as you wanted." She smiled. "But I have faith in you, Father. Your Plan will succeed."

She was such a good girl, still such an innocent child even three thousand years after her creation, sometimes it was hard to believe she was a Makuta.

"You mentioned a 'record'," Teridax said to get that thought of his head. "What did you mean by that?"

"Oh, that?" Silarial grinned. "It's a game. Vamprah is the only one who will play anymore since I got better control over my powers, but sometimes Icarax will play too. They have to find me. Right now Vamprah is in the lead by..."

"Eleven minutes and three-point-eight seconds." Vamprah supplied from up front, and she nodded.

"That. Icarax will not be happy," she laughed, making Teridax frown, although she didn't notice. "He likes to win."

"I imagine sometimes you must be down here all day," Teridax said dryly. "How do you know when to begin timing?"

She shrugged. "When they enter the cave," she said sheepishly. "I, um, can't tell when they leave the fortress, it's too far away. But I can hear them when they get to the cave."

The trek back was largely uneventful, although they ran into several of the Rahkshi along the way, all of whom were nothing short of ecstatic to see their master back. By the time they arrived back at the fortress, Teridax had been greeted by no less than all 42 of his personal Rahkshi and several of the other Makuta's.

It was good to be back. Now the plan could truly advance the way he wanted it to, now that he was back in his true element.

X x X

It was months later, and things were progressing so nicely! The Universe was nearly his, and he had already arranged it so that none could ever think of taking advantage of his position, nor think of usurping him again.

Yes, it required the sacrifice of every other Makuta on the planet, but it was well worth it, he decided. Those fools had served their purpose, and his creation was safe, hiding on her assigned island of Voya Nui--

Sudden anger and fear shook the ever-present mental link between them, and he reeled in shock at the images currently assaulting him. Whether these were being sent to him on purpose or because of the altered state of her mind, he didn't know, but either way he was receiving them. And he did not like what he saw.

He always knew Icarax was a filthy power-grabber, but he never thought the red and black Makuta was stupid enough to try to stop the Plan from succeeding, even going so far as to confront Gorast and Vamprah to achieve his goal. Granted, he was much stronger than they, but--

What was Silarial doing there, with them, watching their battle?!

"_Icarax!"_ he heard her scream, running in circles around the conflict, looking for an opening but so torn on what to do; she had to stop him but doing so would mean his death, but attacking Gorast and Vamprah would make her a traitor as well, what should she do--

Ice-cold fear gripped Teridax's spirit, and he tried sending a mental order for her to leave and get back to Voya Nui where she would be _safe_, but she ignored him. Her mind was focused on one thing, and he was nothing less than shocked when he realized that that thing was Icarax's safety.

"_Silarial, get out of here!"_ Icarax shouted back, lashing out at Gorast and landing a solid hit to her head.

Teridax continued to watch through his daughter's eyes as the Makuta of Karzahni easily overpowered his two attackers, and then, shockingly, approached the Makuta of Voya Nui. _"Idiot!"_ he snapped. _"I told you to leave!"_

"_You know I wouldn't leave while you were..."_ she trailed off, embarrassed, and then hung her head. Fingers on her face caused her to look up again, into his eyes, acid green. Strangely, a slight smile was on the Karzahni Makuta's face. _"I know. It's part of what makes you weak. You forget to be concerned about yourself."_

"_Does it really bother you so much,"_ she asked sarcastically, _"to have someone actually care about what happens to you?"_

"_Hm..."_ The Karzahni Makuta actually smirked at her, his hands still cupping her face. _"I suppose it's not so bad."_

He was touching her. He was touching his creation, his _daughter_, and that wasn't to be tolerated. Teridax prepared himself to teleport to their location, to hell with the Plan at the moment--

And then Icarax crumpled, clutching his head and shouting with pain. Teridax heard Mutran's mocking laughter through his link to Silarial, felt her own fear and anger, her struggles and shouts, as Vamprah grabbed her and began to drag her away from Icarax, then heard Gorast taunting the Karzahni Makuta, saying that the Toa Nuva, blast them, were so close to awakening Mata Nui...

Everything after that happened so fast.

Icarax began to teleport away, obviously to go confront the Toa Nuva and stop them - that fool - but Gorast was too quick. She grabbed him, her mask glowing with power and causing his teleport to go out of control.

And then she leapt out of the way as Vamprah shot a blast of energy at the stricken Makuta, still caught halfway between here and there, and he was gone. His presence in the universe was shattered, his atoms scattered in all directions; dead as the proverbial doornail.

Silarial screamed, the sound enraged and grieving. It tore at Teridax's soul to hear it, she had just witnessed the death of one she cared about and although it shouldn't have mattered, it still did. _"YOU KILLED HIM!"_ she screamed. _"YOU KILLED HIM!"_

Gorast sneered at her. _"So what if we did?"_ A blast of fire hit her square in the face a second later, and she was thrown into Mutran. She rose a moment later, disentangling herself from the scientist, and then dove at the younger Makuta, screeching with rage.

Their struggle was brief. Although rage was certainly a way to heighten one's strength, grief was an even more surefire way to destroy it, and Silarial was also almost utterly inexperienced when it came to the war arts.

He had to get to her, but he couldn't move, could only watch as Gorast effectively pummeled her into the ground and pinned her down. Though the younger Makuta fought and kicked, burning, freezing, electrocuting her, Gorast didn't let up in her assault. After a moment of violence, she stood poised over the Voya Nui Makuta with her stinger glinting in the pale light, and for a horrible instant Teridax was certain she was about to plunge it into his daughter and drain her Light.

But no.

Silarial gave a shriek as the older female grasped her chest plate and, with one mighty tug, ripped it off.

Her blue eyes widened with horror, and her struggle doubled as she fought to free herself and grab her chest plate back, but already her soul was beginning to seep out.

_G-goodbye, Father...I'm s-sorry..._

Teridax jumped as her mental voice reached him, but before he could respond, her spirit had disintegrated without its protective casing, and their bond was terminated.

His daughter was dead.

X x X

He was tall, so very tall, towering over the world and everyone in it.

He could see all in the world that he now controlled, the world that he essentially WAS, and he liked what he saw. Finally, it was all his.

After 100,000 years of waiting, plotting, and scheming, it was all _his._

But...

His massive hand curled a little tighter around the tiny shape it held, the frame of armor he'd fashioned only three thousand years ago for what was supposed to be his finest creation, his Valkyrie of sorts...

Instead, it had housed what would become the most important living being in the Universe to him, besides himself.

It hurt to know that she had died, and not even for him, although at that point he was fairly sure Silarial had known what was going on and had only gone to Karda Nui in an attempt to warn the other Makuta. As Icarax had told her only moments before his own death, she forgot to be concerned about herself much too often to be healthy. And see where it had gotten her.

No, she had died for virtually nothing, as her mission was doomed to fail right from the start: none of the others except perhaps Krika, who had apparently also known, would have listened to her. Why should they? She was just a child in their eyes, a nuisance that they could do without.

Even her need to save Icarax would have been for naught, as he had planned on his lieutenant's death right from the beginning. And with him no longer truly being a Makuta, their race was truly and officially extinct.

Carefully, very carefully, he lowered his creation's...his _daughter's_ empty armor, her body, into the ocean and held onto it for a moment longer than he had expected to. He was going to let her go, he was going to let her sink into the water...

It was difficult to let go. Always had been, ever since losing all those Rahkshi to Voporak a millennium ago. Their pain as they aged and died within seconds still had yet to fully leave his thoughts.

His fingers uncurled. Silarial's armor slid from between them, and then its weight pulled it down and away from him. He could still reach down and reclaim it, could always fix it, make her again--

No. It would be an entirely different being, not his Silarial come back to him, he knew. Her essence was really and truly gone, along with the rest of their kind.

It took only moments for her to sink out of sight, a few bubbles the only indication that anything had ever been there to begin with.

For a moment, Teridax, the new Great Spirit of the Matoran Universe, stood watching the place where his daughter's body had sunk, and then he straightened up and gazed about his land again.

It was time to begin his reign at last, no matter how lonely it would be from here on out.

He had a Universe to run.

X x X x X

**AN: Yours is coming up next, **_**Alykon**_**, I'm just fine-tuning it a little before posting it.**

**Anyway, there. This one gave me an excuse to come up with Silarial's place in the canon storyline XD At first I was tempted to let her live, but that would be kind of unfair, since, well, all the other Makuta are dead too. Hmm. Plus, her character archetype just seems the kind to be killed off towards the end for some cause or another.**

**This one's also kind of dedicated to my great uncle, who died this last Thursday. Sigh. Rest in peace, Uncle Jim.**

**Alright then, please review and feel free to request anything.**


	44. Vakama and Nokama, Psychic

**Number Forty-Four**

**Title: Psychic**

**Requested by: Alykon**

**Pairing: Vakama/Nokama**

**Prompt: "One of the Metru able to read minds"**

**Characters: Vakama, Nokama, Matau, Onewa, Whenua, Nuju**

**Warning: Kissing and stuff. No, not sex, even though I'm aware it could be mistaken for that at one point.**

X x X x X

It was weird how she always seemed to know what was on his mind before it even really registered.

He was just thinking about how nice it would be to be alone with her where they could just talk, when she came up to him and said, "I think you should take me out."

"Oh," he replied. "Where?" Perhaps the beach, she'd like it there...and it was warm but not TOO warm for her, being that it was summer and all...

"I'm thinking the beach," she said, interrupting his train of thought and stunning him. "After all, it's summer so it's bound to be warm and we can just hang out, right?"

Nokama was scary like that. Always had been.

X x X

"I'm trying to get out of going to a meeting," Matau frowned. "How can I do this? Are there any natural disasters those seers of yours are predicting, Nuju?"

Nuju frowned. "Natural disasters aren't there just to get you out of going to a meeting with Turaga Dume, moron."

"I could walk into his office and spill my canteen and yell 'FLASH FLOOD EVERYONE OUT!'" Matau mused, ignoring the Toa of Ice. "That's bound to get their attention, right?"

Onewa looked interested. "Or you could bring a bunch of people to the building, and go around flashing them and say it's a flash flood, but that would probably make people want to stay."

"It'd make a good diversion though," Whenua put in.

"I can't believe I'm listening to this," Nuju grumbled.

Vakama opened his mouth to state his thoughts on the matter, but Nokama beat him to it. "There's no use trying to dissuade him," she said to him quietly, and he stared at her. How...? "Even if you bring up the fact that there's not enough water in a single canteen for a flash flood, he'll probably still do it anyway."

She smiled at him, and he was once again left to wonder just _how the Karzahni she knew what was going through his head._

X x X

"I think Nokama is psychic." he said to Whenua a few hours later when everyone else - including the mentioned female - had left.

Whenua frowned. "How come?"

Vakama shrugged, embarrassed. "She always seems to know what I'm thinking. It's just weird."

The Earth Toa smiled. "You guys are pretty close, though. Being that close probably has its benefits."

"Yes, but this is just weird." Vakama muttered. "I can't figure it out. How does she always know?"

Whenua shrugged. "Intuition, maybe? You know what they say about girls - they just KNOW things. And you never know," he grinned, "she just might be psychic for real. Maybe her mask doesn't just work on spoken languages; maybe it works on body language and stuff too?"

It was an interesting thought and stuck in his head the rest of the day, but Vakama forgot about it the moment he realized he was going to be late to go find her so they could go to the beach.

X x X

The beach was warm, just as he had thought it would be, but still Nokama shivered a bit as they sat, watching the waves and talking. Instinctively, he put an arm around her, and she smiled at him.

One thing led to another, and suddenly he found himself on top of her in the sand, kissing her hard, and she was kissing him back, and oh Great Spirits what was going ON--

Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and she was just so beautiful even as she panted and moaned as his hands roamed her body...

What was he doing?! He was hurting her--

"It's alright," Nokama murmured against his mouth suddenly. "You're not hurting me, don't worryyyyy..." She let out a moan as he shifted suddenly, giving her a guilty look.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely." She smiled at him, and he found himself wondering how one girl could manage to be so beautiful.

"Stop looking at me," she said, looking away, suddenly nervous. "I'm not...not pretty..."

"I think you are," Vakama said, still staring at her.

She sat up suddenly, flat against his chest. Her cheeks were flushed, which he supposed was natural. They HAD been a little busy, after all... "Vakama," she said, "if I were to ask you if you...had real feelings for me, what would you say?"

He frowned. "I wouldn't have...ah, k-kissed you if I didn't, Nokama...and," he added, blushing, "you wouldn't have let me if all I wanted was...ahh..."

"I know." she frowned. Her arms were locked around his waist, and she was curled up in his lap, taking in his natural warmth - when had they changed positions? - tracing the design of his chestplate softly.

"And," he added, "you already seem to know everything that I think."

Nokama smiled. "Yes."

"So..." He took a deep breath. "You should already know the answer to your question."

"I need reassurance," she sighed, and he frowned, confused. "Reassurance...?"

"Words are one thing, and actions are another," she said, "but how can I be sure I'm reading your actions properly? You send me so many mixed signals regarding this...you say I'm your best friend, then give me that LOOK...and then I tell you to your face that you should take me out, and you don't even blink. And then just as I'm thinking maybe I read you wrong, you're kissing me."

"I, ah..." He fumbled for a moment. "I couldn't help myself."

She laughed a bit. "How long have you wanted to do that?"

Vakama sighed. "Honestly? Years."

The look on her face at these words was nothing short of delighted, but then she frowned again. "So you haven't really answered my question yet."

"You didn't really ask it," he said hurriedly. "You just asked what I would say if you DID ask it."

Nokama snorted and gave him a sharp poke to the chest, then lifted her head to stare him in the face. Her blue eyes stared into his yellow ones seriously, and he couldn't look away.

"What am I thinking now?" he asked.

"Hm..." She tapped her lips with one finger as she thought. "You're thinking that there's no way this is really happening, and you're wondering what I'd do if you kissed me again."

He blinked. "A...are you SURE you can't read minds, Nokama?"

"It's not mind-reading." She gave a slight laugh. "It's just...intuition, I guess. And you're very easy to read. You just have that look, and I can tell what's going through your head so easily. So," she said mischievously, "can YOU read MY mind?"

He was silent for a minute.

"Vakama?"

"Hang on, I'm thinking." he muttered, closing his eyes. When he finally opened them again, he was smiling.

"So?" she said. "Do you know what I'm thinking?"

"You're wondering if I'm ever going to answer your question," he said, "and you're nervous about the answer, although you don't know why. And you're wondering what it means to actually care about someone this much. And I think I can help you answer all three of those."

"Oh?" Nokama raised a brow and sat up further, still staring him in the face. "Can you, oh great sage?"

"I can." he nodded. "First: I will answer your question, provided you ever ask it properly. Second: the reason you worry about the answer is because it means a lot to you; it's not just something random that doesn't matter. And third..." He smiled. "Apparently caring this much about someone means not being alone anymore, even if they don't return the feelings, which is a foolish worry on your part. By the way, are you ever going to ask that question? I don't want to leave you hanging; the suspense is probably killing you by now..."

"Dork." She poked him hard in the chest, and he grinned. "Do you care about me enough for it to mean something when you...do something like you did earlier?"

"Of course." he replied. "Why else would I have kissed you in the first place?"

She smiled.

"Just one thing if this 'relationship' deal is going to work."

She raised a brow at him. "Oh? And what's this?"

"You have to stop reading my mind," he sighed. "It's starting to scare me how you always seem to know what I'm thinking before even _I_ am aware of it."

Nokama stared at him for a moment, and then gave him a push and making him sprawl back out on the sand. Clambering on top of him, she said, "Deal, provided you show me how much you care for the next several minutes."

Vakama laughed and pulled her downward. "Alright."

X x X x X

**AN: That one was a bit difficult, as I've never had a prompt like that before, nor had I ever imagined such a situation as mind-reading. Meh, but I think it turned out OK. Plus, I wanted to write some more V/N XD It'd been too long, so here's some to satisfy my inner fangirl for a little while longer.**

**And no, I don't think loving someone automatically grants a person access to his or her thoughts. I DO, however, think that there should be some sort of connection between the two people. Which these two have, in my opinion.**

**Also, this one was SUPPOSED to be humorous...but obviously it didn't turn out like that XD Oh well.**

**Review and feel free to request something!**


	45. Macaber and Lily, Salt in Your Wounds

**Number Forty-Five**

**Title: Salt in Your Wounds**

**Requested by: Arya-Metru**

**Pairing: Zyvus Koriseva/Lily (both OCs)**

**Prompt: "She didn't realize it, the poor thing. She was beginning to love him. He told her she would...in time." "It was that twist of fear and adoration that turned him on." "Something like that, idc... *falls asleep*" LOL Arya.**

**Characters: Macaber (OC), Zyvus Koriseva (OC), Lily (OC), Reha (OC) (mentioned), Amoto (OC)**

**Warning: Mentions of sex and stuff. And general darkness in tone. No real cheer in this one. Mood music was, more or less, Skillet's "The Last Night". It's what I was listening to when I was writing this, anyway.**

**Also, this corresponds to an AU of **_**A Path Well Traveled**_**...which in itself is an AU of the canon storyline xD Pwn.**

X x X x X

Macaber honestly found it to be completely disgusting. He had never sanctioned the taking of young ones, and probably never would, but this was ridiculous.

He always knew his boss was a bastard. Everybody in Freezeheart knew it, right down to the very lowest of the slaves. When compared to the former Northern King, Pridak, Zyvus Koriseva was _nothing._

And yet, he was still Regent until Pridak would miraculously return. Unfortunately, time was running out for that. Pridak had been gone for so many long millennia, and the contract of Regency was almost over. Soon, full monarchy would be within Koriseva's grasp, a concept that honestly gave the fully-adapted-to-the-cold Macaber the shivers. His power was great enough already even without full kingship; if he finally got it, who knew what would take place?

Yes, Freezeheart was a horrible place to be, and not just because of the inhospitable weather conditions.

(Sometimes, he found himself wishing he had never been born.)

The Regency gave Zyvus Koriseva too much power already...he got away with things that he imprisoned or executed others for.

Such as sodomy, which was the only thing Macaber would describe what his boss did with that one young slave girl as. She was a tiny thing, red-violet in color, and with great yellow eyes that were often blank with suppressed emotion. That was normal. Virtually all the slaves in Freezeheart had that same look.

What wasn't natural were the strange bruises around her frame, in places that were far too _intimate_ to have come from working in the snow-covered quarries. A bite on the shoulder, dark marks in the shape of fingers on her legs and wrists...it all added up, but although it was technically an illegal practice among the nobility, Koriseva got away with it simply because everyone else was too damned terrified of him to speak up about it.

Macaber included, though he hated to admit it.

_("It's disgusting! Sometimes, I'd just like to--"_

"_Regardless of what you'd like to do, my brother, we can do nothing. Do not do anything that will result in disaster."_

"_There WILL be a disaster if we--"_

"_No. We can do nothing, and we have known that for a long time. It's horrible but true, Macaber. I wish it wasn't so."_

"_Wishes do nothing, Amoto."_

"_Which is why we should stop wishing, because it will never come to anything.")_

He also hated to admit that he was somewhat relieved - he'd heard the rumors of who the twisted Regent REALLY wanted, and the thought of that happening was even worse. That Thunder Toa was one of the few things still standing between Zyvus Koriseva and full monarchy, and if she were gone, well...the Council would no longer have a legitimate excuse to consider holding off his official appointment until she was gone - because she WOULD be gone, or as good as it, anyway. With Lily there, at least that kept the boss occupied and away from his true target.

But Reha aside, it made him sick to see a child treated in such a way.

No, Lily was not necessarily a child...but she was young. Certainly not much older than those kids that Reha kept with her. It made sick everyone who knew of it, but thankfully those who DID were fairly few. At least the boss didn't make it a widely publicized fact; Lily was spared the humiliation of that aspect of things...back in the old days of King Pridak, before the new laws came under the rule of the Council, before Zyvus Koriseva, THAT kind of slave was regarded as the lowest of the low, not even worthy of having a name. Macaber was fairly young as far as creatures on the planet went, but he had been built when that practice was collapsing, and even in its collapse it was awful. Those poor girls...

(If Reha had known about this, he knew she would storm the Palace in an instant and cause even more trouble; perhaps getting herself killed or, worse, captured in the process. Thus he did his best to keep it a secret, both for Lily's sake and his own. He didn't need to see another broken hero in his lifetime.)

The worst part of it, he was forced to admit to himself, was that people, young ones, young GIRLS especially, had a tendency to mistake that kind of thing for actual caring.

Which was what Lily seemed to be doing.

_("You should not let him do this."_

"_What can I do about it, sir? I'm the slave and he's - ow--"_

"_My apologies. I did not mean to wrap it that tight. There, is that better?"_

"_Yes...thank you. And...well, Master Koriseva's not THAT bad, you know?"_

"_Oh? How is he 'not that bad', huh?"_

"_...he can be surprisingly...gentle sometimes...")_

It made Macaber sick.

She didn't realize it, the poor thing. She was beginning to love him. He told her she would...in time. It was that twist of fear and adoration that turned the boss on, Macaber knew, and just knowing it made him wish he could just ram his blade into the boss's midsection and twist it until it snapped.

_("I hope you realize how naive you are being."_

"_I..."_

"_The boss loves no one but himself. Stop deluding yourself; you'll just get hurt worse."_

"_...no disrespect meant, but since when did you know anything about love?"_

_Beautiful, crackling with energy, eyes glaring dangerously into his own, voice raising, shouting that someday things would change, someday Freezeheart would be FREE..._

"_I don't.")_

But in the end, there was nothing he could do. He was just the Third-in-Command, and in comparison to the boss, the Regent Zyvus Koriseva, that was nothing. Even compared to his own twin, Amoto, who was Second, it wasn't much.

He could do nothing to stop the destruction of innocence, something he remembered (and still dared to long for sometimes), and he hated himself for it.

X x X x X

**AN: Alright, next up...one for **_**Grumpy Old Diamond**_**! That one looks like it should be fun, so keep an eye out for it!**

**Hm, yeah, Zyvus Koriseva IS a bastard, isn't he? Mmmmn...and even Macaber, as headstrong as he likes to believe he is, knows things are pretty damn hopeless at the current point in time. ...must get back to finishing the next chapter, in any case.**

**Also, how many chapters should this collection go to? Right now it's undefined, but I'm thinking of stopping at 50. Will probably go way longer than that though, knowing me XD**

**Review and feel free to request!**


	46. Onewa and Nuju, Bubbly

**Number Forty-Six**

**Title: Bubbly**

**Requested by: Grumpy Old Diamond (I love your name XD)**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Everyone knows that Nuju in a good mood is much more frightening" (Taken from #33)**

**Characters: Onewa, Matau, Whenua, Nuju, Vakama, Nokama (mentioned), Dume (mentioned)  
**

**Warning: Nuju is in a good mood. I don't think you guys quite get the implications of this. Those who have seen my "Song Connection" picture on deviantART might, as it included Nuju and the infamous "Everytime We Touch" song...but I digress.**

**By the way, that one 7-Up commercial is hilarious and you should go watch it to really get the joke in here.**

X x X x X

It was rather late at night when the call came.

Onewa, like most beings, did not like being woken up in the middle of the night by a loudly shrieking communication device, but unfortunately for him, his communicator was wailing to high heaven. A curse on Matau for inventing the thing, he decided as he heaved himself up and staggered over to the device.

"Somebody better be dying!" he snarled into it.

"_Somebody's dying!"_ Matau's voice cried from the other end, and Onewa straightened up as fear hit him straight on.

"What?! A-ahh, I mean, wh-who is it?!"

"_It's me, Onewa, I'm DYING! Something terrible's happenin'--"_

"_Give me that!"_ Whenua's voice joined Matau's and there was a moment of squabbling between the two until at last the Earth Toa's gruff tone floated out of the device in Onewa's hand again. _"No, Onewa, no one is dying right now. That's just Matau being dramatic."_

Onewa blinked, confused, though the panic was thankfully seeping away. "But...then what's going on? Why does he think he's dying?"

This time, Whenua's voice was hesitant. _"Well...you see, there's been a bit of a, um, an accident...well...Vakama went and...uh..."_

He trailed off, and Onewa was left to come up with his own reasons for all the madness for a minute. Though he had successfully shaken off the sleepiness at Matau's hysterical "I'M DYING!" speech, he was still rather confused as to just what was going on, but the two words that stuck in his head were "Vakama" and "accident", and like over-protective friends everywhere, he came to his own conclusions.

"Where's that firespitter?" he snarled. "I'll kill him!"

Whenua sighed. _"No, Onewa, Vakama and Nokama did not make a 'mistake'. It's Nuju."_

"...NUJU got Noka--"

"_NO!"_ Whenua shouted. _"We're not gaining any new members any time soon, so get your head out of the gutter already!"_

"Then what IS going on?"

Silence.

"Whenua? What the hell is going on here?"

Finally, _"Nuju is SMILING, Onewa!"_ Matau's voice yelled over the communicator as Whenua hesitated once again. _"He's HAPPY-GLAD! Don't you understand how BAD this is?! Nuju's not s'posed to be happy-glad, he's supposed to be all serious and grr-I-hate-you!"_

"_And as you can see,"_ Whenua said dryly as Matau was again cut off, _"we have a bit of a situation here. More over, Nuju hugged Matau a few minutes ago, and Matau now believes that he is diseased or something. Hence why he's 'dying' and why Vakama refuses to come out from under the table."_

"...are you sure he didn't just get laid or something?"

"_What did I say about having your head in the gutter?"_ the Earth Toa growled, and Onewa promptly shut up. _"And if you want to blame someone for this mess, then blame Dume for insisting that Nuju be the one to taste-test some stupid new formula he came up with instead of just getting a lab rat like he SHOULD have done. There are more than enough Stone Rats running around the Archives for him to choose from."_

Onewa sighed. Serious situation, indeed. Ha, serious situation...in Nuju's case, he was fairly sure it was the exact opposite.

"So what do you want ME to do? I'm not going over there while he's like that."

"_Au contraire, you ARE coming over here right now. Nokama's conveniently busy with her own stuff and Vakama's too scared to go near him, so that leaves YOU as the only one with enough guts to do it."_

"But I'll DIE!" the Stone Toa protested, and Whenua let out an aggravated snarl. Before he could bite out whatever new insults on his mind, though, Matau let out a shriek.

"_Whenua, he's LOOSE!"_

"_CRAP!"_ Whenua shouted, before there was a crash and Vakama's terrified-sounding voice yelled, _"GET 'IM AWAY FROM ME!"_

In the midst of the chaos and screaming, Onewa heard a very frenzied voice he was shocked to recognize as Nuju's babble out, _"Isn't that stuff GREAT, Vakama, don't ya like it? You gotta try some, it's great, it's BUBBLY, you'll likelikelike it!"_

Oh dear Spirits, Onewa thought, someone really WAS about to die. It was just too bad that that someone appeared to be their rather low-on-confidence leader. If the guy hadn't been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder before, he sure as Karzahni would be after this.

But whatever, this was THEIR problem. THEY were the ones who allowed Nuju to drink that bubbly stuff (as described by the ice cube himself), so THEY were the ones who had to put up with consequences. It would also be their fault if Vakama refused to ever come out of his room again, but he'd deal with that when it came to it.

He switched his communicator off, set its volume to silent, and went back to bed.

X x X x X

**AN: Holy crap, it has been a while. About four months, I do believe. My sincere apologies, college and moving into an apartment with my sister-from-another-mister took priority over pretty much everything else for a while, up to and including breathing, eating, and sleeping. Luckily I'm on spring break now, and things are finally all calmed down!**

**Yeah this was largely inspired by that awesomesauce-ridiculous 7-Up commercial because it makes me laugh SO hard whenever I see it for some reason.**

**I also tried to make a pun out of that "serious situation" line, but I'm afraid I failed. Oh well. Puns are lame, anyway.**

**Next up: one for **_**StormWolf9**_** featuring Takua and Jaller, so keep an eye out for it!**

**Hope you liked it, and review and request!**


	47. Takanuva and Helryx, Zombieland

**Number Forty-Seven**

**Title: Zombieland**

**Requested by: StormWolf9**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Maybe you could do a shot with Takanuva coming to terms with his new powers? Or, here's a better one, Takua being his adventuring, not-able-to-sit-in-one-place self ending up in some serious trouble without anyone to really come to the rescue."**

**Characters: Takanuva, Helryx, Teridax (mentioned), Mata Nui (mentioned), Jerbraz, Johmak**

**Warning: Character death and extreme emo-ness. While writing this, I was in an extremely crappy mood, and as much as I wanted to make this one a fun, happy story, I just wasn't up to it. So here. Something a little different from what you may be expecting...**

X x X x X

I'm watching you in front of me, and you're alive. Mata Nui, but you're so warm - or maybe it's just because I'm so cold, that your hand in mine feels like it's scalding me. Mother Helryx, Mother Helryx, you're over-heating.

Mother, heh. That's what I want to call you sometimes. You sure act like it a lot, especially with the Order of Mata Nui members. I know all Toa are technically members too, but I want to be one as well - I want to hear you tell me that I've done enough that you'll let me in without those stupid initiation tests that all the others complain about so much.

I'm a healer, Mother Helryx. My powers can heal the dark inside of people. I can turn all the bad to good; I can brighten your day in a heartbeat, literally. You never laugh when I joke like that, but maybe someday, if you ever get up, you will.

Maybe I can make the void inside of you go away someday. I can show you that the world isn't such a bad place after all, and that you don't always have to fight for your place in it. I can show you that I'm not just a stupid kid - I'm really a Toa.

A Toa that can do anything with his powers; I can heal you!

I wipe my eyes and smile. Because I'm the Toa of Light, the prophesied one! I can make anything happen that I want to happen!

And I want you to live, Mother Helryx, I want you to live! I want you to realize that this wound isn't so bad, and that you really didn't have to throw yourself in front of me when Teridax struck out at me because it's not so bad and it's one that we both could survive.

It's not just the wound in your stomach that I can't - I mean, _can_ heal. I can also heal the ones on your heart. I can make you smile, Mother Helryx, I can do what Jerbraz and Johmak and all the rest couldn't. It doesn't matter how many kids you had to see die before, because I'm different from them all. I won't die, and it's not just because you pushed me out of the way - I could have survived that, and you will too, I promise.

In a few days' time, you'll sit up in your bed, with the coma broken, and you'll demand that someone tell you what's going on. And then you'll see me there, and you'll realize that I healed you and never left your side for a minute, not even to eat, and that I didn't let myself sleep just in case you decided to wake up. You'll try to get out of bed even though you really shouldn't, and tell me that I'm stupid for worrying and then order me to go and get Jerbraz for you so he can brief you on what's happened.

And then you'll have to rehabilitate, but that'll be OK, because I'll be there to help you. I'll insist on being the only one to help you walk around and stuff, and then you'll see that I'm not just a kid - I really am a Toa, and I saved you just like you saved me; just like Mata Nui saved the universe from Teridax and killed him.

But...but you won't tell me any of that. You'll be proud of me, but I'll never know it because you're just so stubborn. You never let anyone know what you really feel in your heart, because it's just too guarded and the hurt over all the long years got to be just a little too much to take. But someday I'll realize it, and I'll be happy then.

It'll be because of me and my powers that you realize this, and you'll acknowledge that I can't save you - ah - th-that I _can_ save you. That I _did_ save you. You'll go back to being your regular grouchy self, but a little bit more relaxed because you'll know that you aren't alone in the world anymore--

Oh. Oh Mata Nui! Your temperature's going down! Are you gonna wake up so soon? Is the fever breaking already? Yes, yes! You see, I told you, I _told_ you I'd save you, I told you you'd be alright in no time!

It's because I'm the Toa of Light and I can do anything. I can _save_ you, and I did. Your heartlight's not almost out either, that's just something in my eye...

I'm still holding your hand, Mother Helryx. Can you feel it? You can, can't you? It's cold, I know. I'm sorry. But yours is almost as cold now, and--

Hey. Hey, why can't I see your heartlight anymore? You _are_ breathing, aren't you? Of course you are. You wouldn't let something like this kill you, you're too tough for that.

Because...because in a few day's time, you'll be alright. And in a few years (or maybe centuries, depending on how stubborn you decide to be), you'll realize how proud of me you are for everything I've done. And someday, I'll know it too.

So...so you've got to start breathing again, OK? That's how the story goes; you sacrifice yourself to save me, but the sacrifice wasn't needed because I could have survived it and you will too, and you're going to be alright, I swear it!

I...

I can't...

No, no, I can do it, I can...I _will_...but why isn't my Light working? Why isn't your heartlight coming back, why aren't you breathing again? Is it something I did wrong? It couldn't be, I did everything I'm supposed to do...

I'm supposed to _save_ you, not let you die! Come on, you're stronger than this, and I know you're not dead, so please just breathe again, OK? There's still so much that has to happen, and you won't be there to see it unless you're alive!

X x X

"_Taka...Taka, stop...please stop, kiddo, it's too late..."_

"_No, you're wrong! It's gonna be OK, Jerbraz, she's gonna be OK. I can heal her..."_

"_No, y'can't, Taka, she's dead. Please just let go of 'er, lemme take 'er..."_

"_Stop it! I can do this, OK, just let me do this--"_

"_You're not a god, Taka, an' neither was she; no one coulda survived that!"_

"_Yes she COULD, and she DID! She's not gonna die. I promise, I can save her..."_

"_No you can't, kid...Johmak, ya gotta help me, we gotta get 'er away from 'im--"_

"_H-hey - hey, what're you doing?! Give her back! You can't take her yet, I still have to heal her! Give her back! GIVE HER BACK!"_

"_I'm sorry, Takanuva, but it is too late. She's dead."_

"_No...I...I can't...I can save her...I..."_

"_I'm sorry. I know you always want to, but...you can't save everybody. It's just not going to happen."_

"_But I...I'm not strong enough but I can still..."_

"_Death is eternal, Takanuva. Nothing can bring her back from death. Not even the Toa of Light. I'm sorry."_

"_No, you're wrong, you'll see...she's still alive, and she'll tell you so herself when she wakes up. She...she's not dead...I can save her...please...give her back to me so I can save her..."_

X x X x X

**AN: Yeah. Takanuva coming to terms with his powers, but in a way that he realizes (but not quite) that Light is not a cure-all. Rather morbid, yes, I know. Like I said, I wanted this one to be all humor and adventure, but it didn't happen that way. Sorry.**

**The next one won't be so dark though, I promise xD**

**Review, and please feel free to request anything!**


	48. Vakama and Tahu, You Got Mail 6

**Number Forty-Eight**

**Title: You Got Mail #6**

**Requested by: Myself, co-written with Zanda Waffle 07 (he did Tahu, Matau, Mutran, and Nidhiki, and I did everybody else)**

**Pairing: Vakama/Nokama, Tahu/Gali, Pohatu/Reha (OC), Icarax/Silarial (OC)**

**Prompt: ****"Oh crap", "ALE-ALEJANDRO, ALE-ALEJANDRO", "stuck in a supply closet", "exploding trashcans"**

**Characters: Matau, Vakama, Sidorak (mentioned), Gaaki (mentioned), Jerbraz (mentioned), Whenua, Nuju, Teridax (mentioned) , Mata Nui (mentioned), Onewa, Pohatu, Lhikan, Nidhiki, Nokama, Kopaka, Onua, Krekka, Tahu, Icarax, Silarial (OC), Roodaka (mentioned), Gorast (mentioned), Chirox, Mutran, Tuyet (mentioned), Reha (OC), Gali**

**Warning: Shenanigans, mentions of sex, language, text messaging, e-mailing...the usual. Oh yeah, and usage of a Lady Gaga song. You have been warned!**

X x X x X

"_Attention, students. The cafeteria is closed until further notice due to an explosion that occurred under mysterious circumstances involving firecrackers and this week's menu items. To purchase food during lunch hour, please head over to either Sidorak's, Gaaki's, or Jerbraz's classrooms in an orderly fashion. Takeout has been ordered and will be distributed there. And would Matau Alto, Vakama Katar, Onewa Enright, and Nuju Atama please come to the main office?"_

X x X

**LiveItUp56:** We're fucked

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Tell me something I don't know, Matau

**LiveItUp56:** Ok then...while i was running away from nidhiki yesterday, he chased me into the street

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** And...?

**LiveItUp56:** there was glass in the street

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** So...?

**LiveItUp56:** I was riding your bike

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** ...

**LiveItUp56:** I swear to GOD i will replace the tires!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** SHITFUCKIAMGONNAKILLYOU!

**LiveItUp56:** Get in line, dude, teridax's got first dibs!

X x X

**BlackEmeraldxx:** What're you being called to the main office for? This is a first, you NEVER get in trouble.

**IcyVisionary4:** I'd rather not say.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Please tell me you weren't involved in the cafeteria explosion.

**IcyVisionary4:** That might have something to do with it, yes...

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Oh my god, Nuju, what did you do?

**IcyVisionary4:** Absolutely nothing.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Liar.

**IcyVisionary4:** Nothing beyond sticking a firecracker into a half-eaten apple and throwing it at somebody, anyway.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Dear God.

**IcyVisionary4:** Oh shut up, Whenua, Onewa did much worse. He actually filled a trashcan with food and some firecrackers and lured that same somebody over to it just as it went off.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** What about Matau and Vakama?

**IcyVisionary4:** They and Onewa drove him into the cafeteria by pelting him with what was supposed to be this Tuesday's tuna casserole, and Vakama led the charge. It was really quite inspiring.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** ...you realize your reputation is never going to survive?

**IcyVisionary4:** It was a worthy sacrifice.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** I hope so, because Teridax looked like he was about to explode himself when he saw the caf this morning. And I don't think pulling the old "But I'm the best student in the school!" act is going to work this time.

**IcyVisionary4:** That bad, hm?

**BlackEmeraldxx:** You are surprisingly calm about all this.

**IcyVisionary4:** Vakama and Matau are freaking out enough for all four of us and Onewa is trying to suffocate himself with his own fist. Someone has to remain calm around here.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Let me know how that goes for you.

**IcyVisionary4:** If I survive, then I will.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** I'll tell your mom you went down fighting.

**IcyVisionary4:** Thank you. And now I am afraid I must shut off my phone and stop texting you, as Mata Nui and Teridax are here. Good bye for now.

X x X

**DesertLove64:** Mom is sooooooo gonna kill you!

**RockinOut70:** Don't laugh at me, I will come back and haunt you from beyond the grave for the rest of your life

**DesertLove64:** HAHA! REVENGE IS SWEET!

**RockinOut70:** You still goin on about that? And here I was, about to bequeath my playboys to you...

**DesertLove64:** BITCH THOSE PLAYBOYS WERE MINE TO BEGIN WITH! YOU BLACKMAILED THEM AWAY FROM ME!

**RockinOut70:** Oh yeah I forgot about that, lol. Well in any case you can have 'em back after I'm dead, k? Now be a good little boy and get to class, I'd hate for you to get detention or some shit

**DesertLove64:** I'll just tell Mom it's your bad influence that made me do it

**RockinOut70:** Gawd you're mean, first laughing at my misfortune and now pinning the blame for your own stupidity on your late brother? Tsk, tsk. I'm ashamed of you.

**DesertLove64:** Just...just go die already, OK?

X x X

**UltimateInferno:** So, what'd I miss yesterday afternoon?

**Cloudrunner8:** While you were hobbling around on your crutches like the useless piece of crap that you are, I was chasing after those delinquents.

**UltimateInferno:** Yes, Nidhiki, I know. That's why I sent you ahead while I called security, because I couldn't run and you can. What happened?

**Cloudrunner8:** The A-Team over there had trapped Krekka in the cafeteria and were throwing exploding apples and other various things that went boom at him

**UltimateInferno:** Holy crap, seriously? Is he alive?

**Cloudrunner8:** Unfortunately, yes. They also somehow managed to up-end a trashcan over his head and he was trying to chase after them like that.

**UltimateInferno:** ...he didn't try to take it off? I know he's not very smart, but...?

**Cloudrunner8:** They'd smeared the inside of the can with glue. It wasn't that he didn't TRY to take it off, it was that he COULDN'T.

**UltimateInferno:** Holy shit.

**Cloudrunner8:** My sentiments exactly. If he doesn't have to go to therapy for years after this, I'll be surprised.

**UltimateInferno:** The sad thing here is that I can't even say he didn't deserve it...

**Cloudrunner8:** It honestly doesn't surprise me that this happened either, don't worry

**UltimateInferno:** Teridax isn't going to sick Icarax on them, is he?

**Cloudrunner8:** Judging by the sounds coming from the supply closet I just walked by, I think it's safe to say that he and Silarial will be MIA for a while

**UltimateInferno:** Well at least they've got a chance of surviving...wait, Icarax and Silarial? As in, Teridax's daughter? As in, the cute student counselor with the pet bearded dragon she never goes anywhere without? THAT Silarial?

**Cloudrunner8:** The very same

**UltimateInferno:** That...is slightly disturbing. Ugh.

**Cloudrunner8:** What, is the thought of adults doing it in supply closets too much for your poor virgin mind to take?

**UltimateInferno:** Shaddup. No, I'm thinking more along the lines of why the hell would she like him, given the way he treats her most times...

**Cloudrunner8:** She's a masochist. There, mystery solved. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an interrogation session to go spy on. Don't trip down the stairs without me, you know I like seeing you in pain.

**UltimateInferno:** Jackass.

X x X

"_She's got both hands in her pocket, and she won't look at you, won't look at youuuuu - she hides true love en su bolsillo, she's got a halo around her finger, around youuuuu-"_

***click***

"_Hi there, you've reached Nokama, but I'm not able to pick up the phone right now! Heck, I'm not even sure this is the answering machine thing. Anyway, leave me your name and number, and I'll try to get back to you as soon as possible. Bye!"_

***click***

_You have one new message. First message..._

***beep***

"_Nokama, I know you turn your phone off during school hours, but anyway, I am calling you from Mata Nui's office and I just want to tell you in case I don't make it out...uh...I...um..."_

"_Dammit, Vak, just spit it out already! Last chance, dude, we're about to die here!"_

"_I-I-I love you and I always have! THERE, NOW I'M TURNING OFF MY PHONE AND GOING TO MY DEATH WILLINGLY BECAUSE THERE'S NO WAY I'LL BE ABLE TO FACE YOU EVER AGAIN, GOODBYE."_

"_The hell was that? That was the damn worst confession of love I've ever heard, you uncharismatic piece of-"_

***click***

_To erase, press 7. To save, press 9. To-_

***beep***

_Message saved. There are no more messages._

X x X

To: (all internal contacts)

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: Problem

Um, OK, would anyone care to explain to me about the scream that just shattered everyone's eardrums from here to Antarctica?

-Kopaka

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: Solution

I'm guessing that that would be either Matau, Vakama, Onewa, or Nuju being tortured senseless by Teridax. My money's on it being Matau, though.

Just make sure Roodaka doesn't see us emailing; we're supposed to be writing our essays right now...

-Onua

X x X

To: Terra99

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: Shit.

See above.

-Kopaka

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: No kidding

Haha, that's what everyone else says when they hear about it. Has anyone come up to YOU to ask about it? Your brother was involved too, and I've had like a million people come up to me to ask what happened just because I know the guys that did it.

-Onua

X x X

To: Terra99

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: Seriously

No, not yet. Although this would explain why Tahu was bitching this morning about missing more of his stupid firecrackers.

If Nuju manages to get out of this without getting suspended, I'll be surprised. Mom and Dad are not going to be happy with him when they find out, either.

-Kopaka

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: ...indeed...

I hear his contribution was limited to fine-tuning the plan and throwing a single exploding apple at Krekka, so he's bound to get a lighter sentence. Plus, he's got the highest marks in his grade in the state; there's no way they're going to punish him too badly.

The others, on the other hand...

D'you think it's too early to call the morgue?

-Onua

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: Correction

That scream, as it turns out, was NOT Matau or any of the conspirators. It was, in fact, Nokama receiving a message from Vakama telling her he's about to die and that he's been harboring this big secret love for her for like ever now, and screaming with joy when she finally listened to it.

Awh, how cute. Too bad he waited till he was going to his own execution to tell her.

-Onua

X x X

To: Terra99

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: ...huh?

And you know this HOW?

-Kopaka

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: Hm!

I heard it from Pohatu, how else? It's scary how he always seems to just know everything...anyway, he just texted me saying that he was in the classroom right near where Nokama was walking when she listened to the message, and he could kind of hear what was being said because the window was open.

-Onua

X x X

To: Terra99

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: ...

She's happy about walking back to class from the bathroom and getting a message saying that the love of her life is about to die?

AM I THE ONLY SANE ONE AROUND HERE ANYMORE?

-Kopaka

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: Terra99

Subject: Haha.

Lol, I don't think his apparent death sentence was what she was squealing about, Kopaka. It was him telling her he loves her.

If he ends up making it out alive, I'm willing to bet he avoids her like the plague after this. Oh, teenage drama. What would high school be without you?

-Onua

X x X

To: Krekka2000

From: UltimateInferno

Subject: I stand corrected.

So it seems that the sophomores, at least, are not as helpless as I had initially thought. Whatever. That still doesn't mean you're allowed to pick on them again, though. Otherwise you might find yourself on the end of some more exploding food products, now that the idea's out in the open for everyone else to steal.

I won't bore you with a long speech about how you had it coming (even though you DID), but just know that I sort of pity you and wish you good luck in therapy for the next couple decades.

-Lhikan

X x X

**Kikanalo-Rider:** Where's your brother?

**PyroMANIAC721:** I dunno prolly dead by now

**Kikanalo-Rider:** That's not funny, Tahu, now tell me where he is!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Why u wanna know?

**Kikanalo-Rider:** He left a voicemail on my phone saying that he loved me, and I need to go hug him and then punch him for being so lame

**PyroMANIAC721:** At least it wasnt a txt message?

X x X

**PyroMANIAC721:** Its lunchtime n your not out yet...n nokama is lookin for u...LASSIE COME HOME!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Omg

**PyroMANIAC721:** what?

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** She's LOOKING for me?

**PyroMANIAC721:** ...um yah

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** You have to head her off! Tell her Im dead, anything, just dont let her find me!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Ok...

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Oh god THANK YOU. You have saved my life D:

**PyroMANIAC721:** Lol k sure whatevs

X x X

**PyroMANIAC721:** U should have dinner at my house 2nite u'll be able to catch him real easy

**Kikanalo-Rider:** Will that be okay with your mom?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Yah lol she's been plannin u guys wedding for like ever now...prolly use this as ur engagement party

**Kikanalo-Rider:** OK! I'll have to catch a ride with you though, is that alright? And can Gali come too? I don't want her to get jealous...

**PyroMANIAC721:** Yah thats cool meet me by the shuttle stop outside the school n yah gali can come as long as she helps me w/ the history hw

**Kikanalo-Rider:** I'll be sure to let her know xD

X x X

**BlackEmeraldxx:** So, what's the verdict?

**RockinOut70:** Two days of in-school suspension in which we will be cleaning up the cafeteria "until it is SPOTLESS" and three weeks of after-school detentions...damn them

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Is that seriously it?

**RockinOut70:** Oh yeah, and we have to pay for Krekka's therapy sessions for the first two months. Well, there goes my money for the next eighty years...

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Lol. Shouldn't have blown up the cafeteria then.

**RockinOut70:** We didn't blow it up, it's still THERE, isn't it?

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Alright, let me rephrase that: you shouldn't have tried to blow Krekka up then.

**RockinOut70:** Bah, he had it comin', even Mata Nui said so!

**BlackEmeraldxx:** What did Teridax have to say?

**RockinOut70:** Not too much, he was too busy trying to get a hold of Icarax and failing

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Ah. No wonder your sentence is so light then. It was mostly Mata Nui doing the talking.

**RockinOut70:** Nah Teridax still got some stuff in. Nearly made Matau piss himself a few times.

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Ew...

**RockinOut70:** Yeah but the shit really hit the fan when Icarax finally came in and he was like all rumpled and sweaty and stuff

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Not too hard to figure out what he'd been doing, I'm sure.

**RockinOut70:** Nope! But yeah that's when Mata Nui told us we could go cause Teridax decided he'd rather kill Icarax than us

**BlackEmeraldxx:** At least you're still alive?

**RockinOut70:** Yeah but what am I gonna tell my mom? She's gonna kill me! And then bring me back so she can kill me AGAIN!

**BlackEmeraldxx:** Haha, not my problem, man.

**RockinOut70:** You are so useless, you know that?

X x X

Silarial,

Get over here. We have unfinished business to...finish. So hurry up.

-Icarax.

X x X

_Icarax,_

_I'm busy right now. Too many important things to get done. And Father's already trying to get a restraining order taken out on you, so we shouldn't provoke him any more than we already have._

_-Silarial_

X x X

Silarial,

What the hell could be more important here than me right now? And the restraining order thing only works if BOTH parties participate. You know you'd come looking for me after a week at the most.

-Icarax

X x X

_Icarax,_

_How about all the students in Chirox's third period AP Biology class that are getting bad grades? I have to figure out what's wrong with them and set up appointments for them to meet with their respective counselors._

_-Silarial_

X x X

Silarial,

It's because he's a crappy teacher. The only reason he's still here is because he funds all the lab equipment by himself. Though if he and Mutran don't stop trying to poison each other, I wouldn't be surprised if they were both fired.

And you stay away from him. His eyes wander too much when you're around. Send a courier or something instead of talking to him directly. This kid we're using right now will do, even if he is a little slow.

-Icarax

X x X

_Icarax,_

_I'm sure it's more a case of them just not getting the material so well. That is a very difficult class._

_And you're one to talk about wandering eyes. Any time anyone wears a skirt around here, guess where your eyes immediately go?_

_-Silarial_

X x X

Silarial,

Difficult, my ass. I got a 98 when I took it in high school. It was the easiest thing I've ever seen.

You, Roodaka, and Gorast are the only ones who wear skirts on this faculty. And I do not stare at either of them.

-Icarax

X x X

_Icarax,_

_Congratulations, you are a biology genius. Not everybody else is, however._

_Yeah, only when they bend over._

_-Silarial_

X x X

Silarial,

And what did YOU get an A in, Little Miss Daddy's Girl? Language and advanced mathematics. I aced everything. That's right. Beat that.

No, Silarial, I do NOT stare at them even when they bend over. Gorast would kick my ass if I did, and Roodaka would whine to Teridax. The only one whose ass around here I stare at is yours. And I'm serious about Chirox. Just yesterday I caught him staring at your backside during that meeting. If he does it again, I'm gonna kill him.

-Icarax

X x X

_Icarax,_

_I'll have you know that I was the only student in ten years to get an A in that mathematics class, mister. And it wasn't easy. I actually had to, you know, exert some effort into doing it, unlike YOU._

_For God's sake, Icarax! I do not need protection from one person with wandering eyes! If need be, I'll just throw Shadrahk at him. Trust me, he knows what bearded dragons are capable of when they bite. He won't try anything, so for the love of God, just calm down._

_-Silarial_

X x X

Silarial,

Yeah, because I was smart enough to be able to just do it all. Practically no studying, just walking in and bam, all A's.

Do you like him or something? Oh God. That's it. That is IT, I'm not putting up with this shit. I don't care if I have to enlist the help of those kids Teridax chewed out earlier today, this means war. Chirox had better have a good hiding place, because as soon as my break rolls around, I'm coming after him.

-Icarax

X x X

_Icarax,_

_Do not even THINK of touching him. I mean it. And no, I don't like him, so quit it with the stupid jealousy already!_

_-Silarial_

X x X

**UltimateInferno:** Were they suspended?

**Cloudrunner8:** Sort of

**UltimateInferno:** How exactly is one "sort of" suspended?

**Cloudrunner8:** In-school suspension, and Mata Nui agreed to go easy on the details with their parents as long as the cafeteria is clean within those two days that they're suspended. So as far as their parents know, they just have detention for the next few weeks. How fucking stupid is THAT?

**UltimateInferno:** Mata Nui can't resist a good pair of puppy eyes. You should know this, having used that same technique on him many a time in our freshman year yourself.

**Cloudrunner8:** Yeah but...

**UltimateInferno:** Just give up, Nidhiki. You can't win this one.

**Cloudrunner8:** Oh, is that Tuyet I spy? Perhaps I should tell her where you are...

**UltimateInferno:** Don't you dare. But even if you did, she wouldn't be able to get to me.

**Cloudrunner8:** And why is that?

**UltimateInferno:** Because I am being used as a messenger boy by Silarial and Icarax to send very angry hate mail to each other

**Cloudrunner8:** They're making the guy on crutches be their messenger boy?

**UltimateInferno:** It's messed up, I know. But Mata Nui's not the only one who can't resist a good pair of puppy eyes

**Cloudrunner8:** Icarax gave you puppy eyes? And you didn't take a picture?

**UltimateInferno:** Not him, you idiot, Silarial!

**Cloudrunner8:** Oh. That's a little less disturbing...what're they fighting about?

**UltimateInferno:** Apparently he saw Chirox looking at her ass and is declaring war on our wonderful science department head. Silarial, naturally, is not pleased with this.

**Cloudrunner8:** Chirox has been trying to get her to be his "lab assistant" for the last three years, and Icarax is just noticing this now?

**UltimateInferno:** No one ever said he was a genius

**Cloudrunner8:** Read the next note to me

**UltimateInferno:** K, hang on..."If you do not stop being a jealous tard, I will lock myself in the biology lab with the next eligible adult male I come across, Chirox or otherwise". Oooh, harsh.

**Cloudrunner8:** Did she seriously write that?

**UltimateInferno:** Yes, and she was being quite serious about it...judging by the way Icarax just tore out of his office and ran over to hers, I'd say he thinks so too

**Cloudrunner8:** Well, she DID say it'd be with the next adult male she found

**UltimateInferno:** Ugh. This is so wrong. I'm gonna have to keep everyone out of this hallway now.

**Cloudrunner8:** How are you going to do that?

**UltimateInferno:** Probably just say that two of the counselors are having a meeting and told me not to let them be disturbed or something...dunno what else...

**Cloudrunner8:** You have fun with that. See you in class

X x X

**Kikanalo-Rider:** Vakamaaaaaa! Where are you? Lunch is almost over and I need to talk to you about something so hurry up before the bell rings!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Vak says to tell you that hes dead and certainly not hiding in the bathroom right now

**Kikanalo-Rider:** ...thank you, Onewa.

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** No prob!

X x X

"_Hello, you've reached that douchebag Chirox's office, but he ain't here right now, so leave 'im a message tellin' him what a bastard he is, yeah? Thanks and g'bye!"_

"_MUTRAN, GET THE HELL AWAY FROM MY ANSWERING MACHINE!"_

"_SHIT! AHH, NO, PUT THOSE SCISSORS DOWN-"_

***click***

_You have one new message. First new message..._

***click***

"_Chirox, yo. It's Icarax. First off, hilarious as it is, you gotta change your answering machine before Teridax finds out and fires you guys. Second off...if I see you checking out a certain brat's ass one more goddamn time, I'm gonna take a Bunsen burner and shove it so far up your ass, you'll be vomiting it out. And then I'll take that stupid bearded dragon of hers and let HIM have at you. You got that? Good. Don't let it happen again."_

***click***

X x X

**PyroMANIAC721:** Where are yooooooouuuuuuu

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** I'm in class now and thankfully safe from blue-haired girls that want to find me

**PyroMANIAC721:** Lol fail

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Shut up. You have one too.

**PyroMANIAC721:** Yah n their both havin dinner at our house 2nite!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** WHAT!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Yeah dude while me n gali are doin our hw, u & nokama can have a sexy party in ur room

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Oh no. No no no no no YOU INVITED THEM OVER?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Cuz ur too lame to go & get ur own girl by urself so i gotta do it...someones gotta be a man round here

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Are you questioning my masculinity?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Ur not psyched bout havin a hot girl in ur room no shit im questoining it

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** I don't think you get the ramifications of this.

**PyroMANIAC721:** I was in sex ed dude. I kno what happens when a guy n a girl r alone together

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** EXACTLY!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Ur prolly the only guy i kno who complains bout havin a hot girl wanna jump u

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** I'm not complaining about that!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Then what r u complainin bout?

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** When I sent her that voicemail, I thought I was about to die! I didn't plan anything out in the event that I survived!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Ah i see...u have commitment issues...

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** NO I DON'T!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Vakama this is tha girl u have liked since forever. I dont see why its such a big problem that she likes u back

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Because she's pretty and popular and kind and I'm just that nerd who sits behind her in history and wears the same hat every day!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Wat about ur fangirls? They dont think so...

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** What fangirls?

**PyroMANIAC721:** ...tha 1s that stalk u all over school...u kno, those creepy cheerleaders who follow u around?

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** I have stalkers and you never told me?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Did u seriously not kno? LMAO!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** Hey! Hey wait a minute! Tell me about these stalkers! Who are they?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Lock urself in ur room w/ nokama 2nite n ill make sure they all go away k?

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** But...but I...oh fine. And NO, Tahu, there will be NO sex going on, get your head out of the gutter!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Way to go and ruin ur big chance, u loser!

**XxFireworksxDragonxX:** That's it. You are no longer allowed to hang out with Onewa, Pohatu, or Matau. They have corrupted your brain!

**PyroMANIAC721:** Dude it was corrupted like forever ago where have u been?

X x X

To: DesertLove64

From: Storm-Chaser

Subject: IT'S ON

Gali is going to be having dinner at Tahu's house tonight, and she says she's going to make sure something happens! See, didn't I tell you this would work out on its own WITHOUT some stupidly elaborate plan?

And we seem to have accidentally gotten Vakama to confess that super-secret-except-kinda-obvious crush of his to Nokama. Two in one, babe. Not bad, huh? Oh yeah, I am GOOD.

-Reha

X x X

To: Storm-Chaser

From: DesertLove64

Subject: You're just the picture of humility, sweetheart

Lies, all lies! YOU were the one who said we needed a plan, and _I_ was the one who said your plan was too elaborate!

I'm also aware that you're gonna hit me for contradicting you, so I'm gonna be hiding from you for the next couple hours, k? OK? OK. Good.

"Super-secret-except-kinda-obvious crush"? Try "blatantly-obvious-from-the-get-go". The guy turns as red as the tips of his hair whenever she so much as LOOKS at him. If that's not totally obvious, I dunno WHAT is. And same with her. I am told the look on her face when Roodaka calls on him in class is nothing short of hysterical.

Plus, she's the only one who can touch his hat and not get viciously mauled afterwards. I tried taking it once, and he bloody _judo-flipped me onto a table_. I was in pain for WEEKS after that. I swear, that guy has like some inner ANIMAL or something...

Also! My mom wants to meet you, so after Pizza Hut tonight we gotta go by my house before you go home, yeah?

BUT BWAHAHAHA YES FINALLY TAHU AND GALI WILL STOP BEING UN-SEDUCTIVE RETARDS AND GET AROUND TO THE GOOD STUFF ALREADY! AND I NOW HAVE MY REVENGE ON ONEWA AS WELL FOR HE SHALL NOT SURVIVE OUR MOM'S WRATH ABOUT TRYING TO BLOW UP THE CAFETERIA. MY EVIL PLAN HAS SUCCEEDED.

INSERT EVIL LAUGH HERE.

And we didn't even have to lock them in a closet and tell them they can't leave until they've made out! _Awesome._

Love from the superior match-maker,

-Pohatu

X x X

**PyroMANIAC721:** Meet me by the shuttle stop after school k cuz u and nokama are gonna be havin dinner at my house

**Tsunami-chan:** Ok. How will we get home?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Ill get my dad to drive u later

**Tsunami-chan:** Gotcha. What brought on this sudden...dinner date?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Its not a date!

**Tsunami-chan:** Haha I know that Tahu I was just kidding

**PyroMANIAC721:** Uhhhh...do u want it to be?

**Tsunami-chan:** Considering it would be awkward having a date with your parents and both our siblings there with us, not really lol

**PyroMANIAC721:** Oh. Uh k cool lol

**Tsunami-chan:** Besides, there's always tomorrow and the movie you said you'll take me to see to look forward to!

**PyroMANIAC721:** But thats not a date either!

**Tsunami-chan:** When a boy takes a girl somewhere and pays, its a date. You'll be paying for the tickets, right?

**PyroMANIAC721:** Well yah but...

**Tsunami-chan:** Then its a date! HA!

**PyroMANIAC721:** I think im gonna go hide w/ vakama now.

X x X

To: King_of_Ice

From: PyroMANIAC721

Subject: Fuck. Me.

I think I just jinxed myself...

And now Gali's busy planning our wedding...

AND ALL THIS BAD KARMA JUST CUZ I SET VAKAMA UP TO BE ALONE WITH NOKAMA TONIGHT! SCREW THIS, I AM NEVER MATCH MAKING EVER AGAIN.

-Tahu

X x X

To: PyroMANIAC721

From: King_of_Ice

Subject: Sorry, I don't swing that way.

I find it amazingly hilarious that not even three hours after teasing Vakama for being a wuss when it comes to girls, you go and do the exact same thing. That would be what we call "irony".

Bad karma is going on a date with the girl you like? God, if that's the case, I think I'll go kick a few puppies after school. Now man up, grow a pair, and make a move already!

-Kopaka

X x X x X

**Author's Note: Phew. **_**So**_** glad that that one's out of the way...**_**Zanda Waffle 07**_** seriously needs to get a new computer; we had to redo his parts about fifteen times because his stupid ancient PC kept crapping out on him and shutting off while we were IMing them back and forth. It finally got to the point where we actually did just text message each other and not even bother with computers (except me, because I had to write everything down of course, haha). Get a Mac, bro, they're waaaaay less spazzy than Windows '95!**

**Anyway, computer problems and uber busy schedules aside, this was a lot of fun. And there is finally some progress made between Tahu and Gali! ...kinda. Let's see how they turn out.**

**Coming up next: Takua and his noble steed, Pewku! Please stay tuned!**

**Review, and feel free to request anything!**


	49. Takua and Pewku, Noble Steed

**Number Forty-Nine**

**Title: Noble Steed**

**Requested by: talkstoangels77**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "Adoption"**

**Characters: Pewku (Puku), Takua, Jaller (Jala), Vakama, Tahu (mentioned)**

**Warning: I honestly do not recall exactly how Takua acquired Pewku, except that her name was originally spelled P-U-K-U and she used to belong to the Onu-Matoran. So all this is improvised. Woo!**

X x X x X

"_Holy Karzahni, Puku, this is SO not the time!"_

It was difficult to count just how many times he had yelled something like that over the years. Too many times for sure. But when push came to shove, the Ussal crab was actually quite useful. ...when she wasn't getting distracted by passing butterflies, other Matoran, or various shiny objects, anyway.

Takua had almost been killed (or at least severely injured) a few times because he'd zoned out while they were on the move, and she found something more worthy of her attention than getting them to their destination and veered sharply off course to get a closer look at the aforementioned distraction.

And yet, he couldn't quite bring himself to yell at her to get the Karzahni away from him and go back to Onu-Koro. Tragic, but true. He'd become fond of the little monster (even though she was bigger than him), although he would never admit this to anyone except perhaps Jala, who found the whole affair quite hilarious indeed.

Even if she fared badly in snow, and was afraid of water (or, more specifically, drowning), couldn't fly, got lost easily, and had the attention span of algae, he admitted (privately, of course) that she was useful. Sometimes. In certain situations. When she could be bothered to pay attention.

Several times a week, Takua could be found sighing loudly in the middle of collecting information for a story and being forced to come up with some elaborate plan to rescue his Ussal crab. Who, by all accounts, should be the one doing the rescuing, not the other way around. But such was Puku. She wouldn't be Puku without her shortcomings.

It took him perhaps a year to realize, however, that these shortcomings may have been the reason the Onu-Matoran had given her to him so readily. They hadn't expected him to survive going to the depths of their mines, after all, and apparently had decided that if they HAD to sacrifice an Ussal crab, they might as well sacrifice the dysfunctional one.

Well, boo on them, then. They didn't know what they were missing out on.

X x X

"Jala, this is not funny."

"Snerk...what? Oh, hm, well, I do beg to differ."

"It's not!"

"Puku's laughing too, and I don't see you yelling at her!"

"That's because she's gonna get it later. And 'cause she's not stupid enough to laugh _openly_ at me. You, on the other hand...ouch!"

"Oh, Takua. You really are lame, you know that? Stop struggling; all you're doing is getting even more entangled in those vines."

"You know, instead of sitting there and grinning like a Maha, you could be doing something more _productive_."

"Like what?"

"Like HELPING, YOU SMUG PILE OF JAGA EXCREMENT!"

"Help you? After _that_ comment? Not likely."

"Jala, wait! I was mostly kidding! No, I'm serious, I'm really stuck! Don't lea-hea-heaaaaaave!"

"Skree."

"Yeah, I know he's gone. Sheesh, I'm not blind. I'll get him back later. And now you, _ma'am_, will begin finding a way to get me down."

"Skree?"

"What do you mean, 'why you'? You're the one who tossed me up here because you were too busy chasing after that Kahu to pay attention to where you were going!"

"Skreeeee..."

"Yeah, you better be sorry. Now hurry up, all the blood's rushing to my face!"

That kind of situation was all too prevalent with Puku. It wasn't until he decided to be nice and change the spelling of her name in a mock ceremony like the one Jala - ahem, _Jaller_ and the others had gone through that she actually became something like a noble steed. Actually, she became almost perfect.

It was odd, and rather unsettling. All of a sudden, she was no longer stumbling over glaringly obvious tree branches or chasing butterflies or getting distracted by shiny things. All of a sudden, he had nothing to complain about. It was a strange feeling.

Jaller, of course, was slightly incredulous the first time Takua complained to him about it.

"Takua," he said, his eyebrow ridges raised high, "just last week, you were whining about how she couldn't do anything right. And now, you're mad because she's doing _everything_ right? Am I hearing you right?"

"You don't understand!" Takua protested. "It's just not...not _Puku_. Puku was an imperfect excuse for a noble steed! This new...thing...is _too_ perfect! It's throwing me off!"

Jaller shook his head, looking lost. "I swear, I'll never understand you. But just remember," he added, "technically she's not _Puku_ anymore. She's _Pewku_ now, remember?"

Takua stared at him blankly. "But it's pronounced exactly the same."

Jaller shrugged. "Who knows, maybe the change in spelling is really that big a deal to her. Maybe it really showed her that you actually do like her and don't just like to yell at her all the time."

It was an interesting thought, and one he had to stop for several minutes and consider. By the time he got done and came to a conclusion, Jaller had wandered off to find something better to do, and seeing that his best friend had ditched him in favor of that, Takua set out to find his no-longer-wayward Ussal crab.

"Stop being so perfect." he told her once he found her, waiting faithfully like some kind of Hapaka guard dog in front of his hut. "It doesn't suit you. The next time we see a butterfly, I want you to chase it. And here!" He fished his Chronicler's credentials out of his bag. "See? Shiny! Go get 'em!" He tossed them to the side.

Pewku gave him a look that could only be described as, _"you have got to be kidding me."_

"OK, so maybe that was a bit extreme...but seriously! This new perfection is starting to freak me out! Look, you're cool just being your usual self, alright? So stop with all this noble steed nonsense. Sure, some of the stuff you do is annoying, but at least that's _you_. This new thing is _not_ you. Alright? Do we have a deal?"

He knew he was probably going to regret this later, and he was aware that Turaga Vakama was watching and probably laughing internally from the doorway of his own hut, but he didn't care. All he cared about was getting the _real_ Puku (or rather, Pewku) back, and if his reputation as the village idiot had to return to ensure such an event occurred, then so be it!

X x X

The very next day found him cursing his own stupidity as his now-once-again-wayward Ussal crab pitched him headfirst into a nice puddle of mud while researching for a story in Le-Koro.

"_Why_ did I want you back to normal, again? Tell me now!"

"Skree!"

"Miss your old self? I did not! I must have been temporarily insane if I said such a thing...or drunk. Yeah, that's it, I must've been drunk - don't give me that look, miss, I'm serious!"

"Skree."

"You don't believe me? Fine, then, be that way! I'll find a way out by my- ow, what was that for?"

"Skrrre!"

His Ussal crab's usual _"Skree!"_ was a bit muffled, and he was a _little_ surprised to discover that this was because she was holding a tree branch between her teeth and craning her body towards him - offering him a way out, for once without having to be told.

He took the tree branch and allowed her to pull him out.

"Uh, thanks?"

"Skree!"

"Don't expect it again? Sheesh, there's modesty for you. And don't give me that look, I am totally grateful for you saving me!"

"Skreee."

"Shut up and get back on? You know, if you hadn't just saved me, I would definitely hand you over to Toa Tahu and let _him_ deal with you. But I'll let you off the hook this time."

"Skree..."

"What? I would too! The only reason you don't believe me is because you're just an Ussal crab, and a scatterbrained one at that! I'm serious, I would so do that, just you watch-!"

X x X

**AN: Ffffff. This one is more silly than anything, because I've always imagined Takua as carrying on conversations with his Ussal crab and somehow understanding her (or at least thinking that he does). No one else (except those who have a Rau) has this ability, and Takua has no clue that he looks a tad weird having an argument with a beast of burden in public. He still does this as Takanuva. Or something. Old theory is old.**

**Next up: Vamprah/Silarial for **_**meep**_**! Hm, this one should be interesting...and after that, it's one for **_**Zim'sMostLoyalServant**_** and another one for **_**Gatoconbotas964**_**, so please look out for them.**

**Review, and please feel free to request anything you so desire.**


	50. Vamprah and Silarial, Silence Is Golden

**Number Fifty**

**Title: Silence Is Golden**

**Requested by: meep**

**Pairing: Vamprah/Silarial (OC), slight onesided Icarax/Silarial**

**Prompt: "Speak up"**

**Characters: Silarial (OC), Teridax's Shadrahk, Vamprah, Icarax, Teridax, Chirox, Antroz, Gorast, Bitil, Icarax's Telerahk, the Av-Matoran (mentioned)**

**Warning: Slight OOC, I think. And some silliness too, but not too much. It's mostly just the one part, otherwise this is your standard, fairly-serious, I'm-totally-implying-something-here oneshot.**

**Also, charades. Oh yes. I went there.**

X x X x X

It was her mission in life to get him to talk to her.

Well, sort of. It was just that, everyone else on Destral was all so talkative that finding the one person who wasn't (and was still capable of actual speech) was a little odd. The question of why he never spoke burned at her curiosity to the point that she absolutely _had_ to know what his voice was like or she felt like she'd die.

Maybe it was just the challenge in it, Silarial sighed mentally as she finished bedecking her father's Shadrahk in ribbons for the nth time. Maybe the only reason she wanted Vamprah to talk to her was because he never actually had done so before.

She giggled lightly as Shadrahk stood up, shook the ribbons off of himself with a snort, and excused himself to go hunting. Vamprah and Rahkshi kraata were an incredible inversion: beings that couldn't talk but did their best anyway (by way of hisses and screeches), and a being that _could_ talk but just...didn't, for some reason or another.

Maybe he just didn't like talking. Or...maybe he was unable to talk. But that was unlikely; muteness was a veritable weakness, and that was something Vamprah wouldn't stand for. If he _was_ muted, then he would have gone to Mutran and Chirox to get fixed.

So that only really left Option A, then. Vamprah really just didn't like talking, though just why was beyond her. She frowned, thinking.

The displacement of air beside her made her jump, and before she could finish falling over, a pair of blue hands were reaching for her, grasping her wrists and pulling her back to her feet. Silarial tottered for a moment, but managed not to fall again. That would have been embarrassing, she mentally groaned. Being pulled back up only to fall right over again...and it would have been just like her, too. Clumsy to a fault, as Icarax was always telling her.

A hand on her shoulder jerked her back to reality and out of thoughts of the black-and-red Makuta, and she jumped, guiltily looking up into the face of Vamprah. He regarded her with a look of bored curiosity, and she chuckled nervously.

"Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you."

He gave a short nod, and she took that to mean that he wasn't offended. Much, anyway.

"Uh...so!" she chirped brightly to take his attention away from that. "What can I do for you?"

The look he gave her was practically smoldering, and she gulped. That meant she'd forgotten something important, like...like a meeting or...or...oh.

"The meeting!" She jerked away from him, the picture of horror, beating herself over the head with her fists. "I forgot! I forgot about it! Father's really mad, isn't he?"

A shrug this time. Alright, that was _slightly_ better...so Teridax wasn't exactly angry, but just rather annoyed with her for missing yet _another_ meeting. And for something as silly as forcing Shadrahk to play dress-up, no less...she'd be lucky if he didn't force her into solitary for a week, or worse yet, allow Icarax to choose her punishment. The last time _that_ had happened, the Karzahni Makuta had taken the Rahkshi doll that she had so painstakingly put together and set it on fire. But that had happened only a few years after her creation, when she'd been young and was still affected by things like that...

"We...we should go then." Silarial said, and could have sworn she saw Vamprah smirk for an instant. He held a hand out to her, gesturing with his other one. Um, what? Oh, come with him. Teleportation, she guessed, and had to admit that allowing him to teleport the both of them to the meeting room was best, as her own aim with the said art was still slightly off. But not by that much.

She frowned and shook her head. "I can do it myself, thanks."

He merely held the hand out, perfectly still and not moving at all. "Don't give me that look," she scolded. "I can do it."

When he still didn't move, she let out a growl and closed her eyes preparing to teleport on her own. Let him stay there all day if he so wished, she had places to be.

She was just beginning to blink out when she felt a hand close around her upper arm, and a stronger jolt of power added to her own. Things went easier than normal, but also much faster than she was used to, and when the whirling came to a sudden halt, she was thrown forward with a loud cry, crashing onto the stone floor in front of a black and red form seated at the long table.

"Hey, brat, how long are you going to lay there? I realize I'm quite the imposing figure, but there's no need to throw yourself at my feet like that."

"I'm not kneeling to you," Silarial growled, glaring up at the smirking Icarax and getting to her feet. She ran her hands down her frame, brushing herself off and completely missing the way his eyes followed her hands. "It was an accident."

He snorted derisively. "Most things with you are."

"Would you rather I mess up on purpose then, you-"

"Vamprah. Thank you for retrieving her. Both of you take your seats." Teridax's voice jerked her into silence, and she looked almost fearfully at her father. He didn't so much as glance at her as she did as he ordered and sat down next to Icarax. Vamprah silently took the seat next to her own, Antroz on his other side.

The leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta stood from his own seat at the head of the table, far more ornate than any other chair in the room. "This meeting has officially begun. First order of business: we will discuss current dealings in our respective domains." He looked to Chirox, who immediately began his report.

"Well, it seems that the latest batch of kraata are coming along nicely, if a touch underfed as of right now. They're having trouble hunting, what with all those Visorak taking up all the resources elsewhere on the island." This was said with a filthy look in Gorast's direction. She merely smirked at the irate scientist, who continued. "My suggestion is to have some of the older kraata - or perhaps even the Rahkshi - help them. At the very least, they should teach them to hunt and survive in the wild. It would certainly help improve the survival rate for newborn kraata."

"My Rahkshi already do that," Icarax cut in. "There's a reason none of my kraata have died since spawning, you know. They actually know how to work together."

"And how long did it take to beat that lesson into Telerahk?" Chirox asked, sounding annoyed. "As I recall, he wasn't very happy the first time you forced him to teach his younger brothers to hunt."

Icarax shrugged at the mention of his chatty firstborn. "As long as the job gets done, I don't particularly care how much he whines. And thanks to his lessons, I haven't had a single casualty."

"Continue, Chirox." Teridax said, breaking up the argument before it could even begin.

The scientist nodded nervously. "Yes, sir. Ahem...my other experiments are all proceeding without a hitch, except for the one concerning the Shadow Leeches. It seems they're a bit smarter than I figured them for."

Teridax looked fairly interested. "Oh?"

"Ahaha...a number of them pretended to be dead in their cage, even managed to turn down their power signatures to the point where I actually believed it. I opened up the cage to collect 'em and dispose of the bodies, and they attacked me."

He was forced to stop talking then, as a loud roar of laughter burst from nearly every other Makuta in the room. Silarial watched with interest as his ordinarily black-and-gray mask took on a faint tinge of red. She'd never seen Chirox look so mortified before.

"Attacked by your own Shadow Leeches!" Gorast managed to get out, practically choking on her own laughter. "How on Destral did you manage that?"

"They don't like being locked up," Chirox said defensively. "If I could just take them out to practice more often, then..."

"No." Teridax's voice was stern. "Not until they are perfected. The consequences of those things running about unchecked could potentially be disastrous. I do not need to hear about Rahkshi and Visorak having their Light drained by angry Shadow Leeches that do not know ally from enemy."

"Yes, sir." Chirox said humbly, bowing his head. "I'm finished with my report."

And so on and so forth. It seemed that the only Makuta whose current projects were going absolutely on plan was Teridax himself, Silarial mused once she had spoken her own piece about the Rahkshi and sat down again. But that was because he was a genius, plain and simple. All of Father's plans turned out the way they needed to. Even his defeats were a double-edged sword for his enemies. In the case of one such defeat, he always had a dozen other plans waiting to be executed. And so far, everything was going smoothly.

"And now..." her father said, turning to look at the only person who had yet to speak, "Vamprah. Your turn."

Vamprah looked slightly disconcerted. He shook his head, and turned to Teridax, eyes glowing slightly as he began a mental connection.

"None of that." the Brotherhood Master's gravelly voice was stern once again. "Say it out loud. I don't have time to repeat everything you say just because you don't like to talk. And don't," he added, "even think about doing that with anyone else in this room."

It was true that the Makuta species possessed the power of telepathy, but as with all mental powers, it was limited. Only four beings could be linked in such a way at a time, and even then only for a few precious minutes. A one-on-one connection was stronger, could be maintained indefinitely, and was much less stressful on the mind. Of all the Brotherhood still alive, Vamprah's telepathy was the strongest and the most developed, as he used it so often, but even he couldn't establish it with everyone in the room at the same time. And it would be foolish and time-consuming to get everyone to link their minds to each other just so he could stay in his comfort zone, even more so than if he were to contact them all one at a time.

In her seat, Silarial was practically quivering with excitement. Vamprah was going to have to talk! After three thousand years, she was finally going to hear his voice! The prospect of it was a little hard to absorb.

She was interrupted by a sharp poke to her side, and when she turned to glare at the perpetrator, she was met with Icarax's green eyes. They burned into her, and she felt her mind going blank for a split second. _"Getting a little hot over there, kid?"_ his mental voice echoed in her head.

She flushed and glared at him angrily, choosing not to even dignify that with a reply as she turned back to Vamprah, who was looking more uncomfortable than she'd ever seen him.

"For shit's sake, Vamprah!" Bitil snapped. "Just get it out!"

For a minute, no one said anything. Then, the blue Makuta sighed and made a motion with his hands.

At this, Icarax poked Silarial again, noting with amusement the look of consternation on her face.

"Oh, I got this one!" Mutran said excitedly, standing up to stare intently at Vamprah. "Uhh...OK...small! Yeah, that's it, something small. And...with a mask...?"

Vamprah made another motion, and the green Makuta cocked his head to the side, ignoring the snickers and incredulous looks they were getting. Teridax growled impatiently, but no one paid any attention. "Something small with a mask...yeah. That's it. I got one! OK, now what? Uh...three of 'em? You're blind? No, light. Light! You found something small that carries around a mask and a lightstone!"

The Odina Makuta sighed aggravatedly.

"That doesn't make much sense, though." Mutran went on. "What's out there that's small and carries around a mask and a lightstone?"

"Vamprah." Teridax's voice now carried a hint of a snarl in it, and Mutran quickly sat down with a loud thump. "Enough with this nonsense. Either speak your piece or be carried to the infirmary _in_ pieces."

Again, silence reigned as Vamprah swallowed hard, seeming to steel himself. "Come on, batty," Gorast said, mock-cajolingly. "It's just an eighty-thousand-year vow of silence that you've been ordered to break. Chop, chop!" She clapped her hands, leaning forward over the table.

Another moment of silence, and then, "...I captured three Av-Matoran."

There. It was out, and he'd spoken.

"Where are they now?" Teridax asked, looking slightly appeased. "And why was I not informed of this immediately?"

"You were gone till just about an hour ago, sir," Chirox reminded him.

"Let me rephrase that. Why did you not inform me of this immediately upon my return?"

Silarial barely took in Vamprah's reply in favor of reeling in shock. She'd heard his voice, and it was...low. Deeper than she'd been expecting, but very...nice. It was rough from going so long without use, and he kept having to stop and clear his throat, but oh, she'd _finally_ heard him talk! She stifled a happy laugh. At that moment, she could have listened to him talk all day and not get tired of that voice.

She hardly registered the meeting coming to an end, so wrapped up in her thoughts as she was. It was only when Icarax shook her shoulder with enough force to almost send her flying that she came back to reality.

"What's the matter with you?" he groused, looking aggravated for some reason. "I know these meetings are boring, but you should pay better attention."

"Why?" she asked, still too high in the clouds to even add the customary insult or snap in her voice. He frowned harder. "What happened? Did I get a mission?"

"Yeah," he snapped. "To go help Vamprah round up the Av-Matoran he captured and bring 'em in for Chirox to get started on." His aggravation seemed to grow even as her elation did likewise. She was aware that she was being stupid, being this happy to have something to do, and with Vamprah of all people, but she didn't care.

Maybe she'd get to hear his voice again...

She became aware that Icarax had yet to release her shoulder, and when she looked down at his hand, he snatched it away as though he'd been burned. "Well, go on," he muttered, turning away from her as she stared at him confusedly. "Captain Silence awaits the _pleasure_ of your presence."

What was _his_ problem all of a sudden, she wondered, but her attention was distracted as Vamprah walked back in the room. He still looked a bit flustered, she thought, but that was to be expected. Actually...now that she thought about it, she wouldn't be surprised if he decided to clam up and never speak ever again. Disappointment pushed the elation back down.

"Are...you coming?"

Her head jerked up, and she stared at him, shocked. "W-what?"

Vamprah frowned, first at her and then at Icarax, who had turned back to face her the instant the Odina Makuta entered the room. "I said," he said carefully, "are you coming?"

Silarial's smile lit up her whole face, and she laughed when he blinked, surprised at the sheer wattage of it. "Coming!" she said brightly, and with a _pop_ of displaced air, she teleported outside to wait for him. The two male Makuta heard a cheerful voice that Icarax recognized as that of his own Telerahk greet her, and her equally cheerful reply.

For a minute, neither of the two did anything, not quite glaring at each other, but not quite emotionless either. Then, Vamprah disappeared as well, leaving the Karzahni Makuta behind in the now-empty meeting room.

When he arrived at his destination, he was immediately greeted by Icarax's hyperactive Telerahk saying, "-and - Sir Vamprah! Such a pleasure to see you on this fine day!"

Silarial elbowed the blue-and-green Rahkshi, and he bounced away from her, grinning like a fool. Yes, this was one of Icarax's, alright. The temperament and disregard for authority alone would have spelled that out, even if he hadn't carried his creator's scent on him.

Vamprah nodded at the young female, who was practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. She returned the nod and followed him to the shoreline, leaving Telerahk behind, and was disappointed when Vamprah didn't so much as look at her the whole way. It was when he started to lift himself off the ground with a beat of his wings that she remembered something critically important.

"I, uh, I can't fly." She glanced back at her own wingless back sheepishly. "I don't know how to make wings yet."

"It is not a problem." Oh, he was talking! Again!

"Why not?" She really had to fight to keep the smile down. _Stop grinning like that or he's going to think you're insane,_ she chastised herself.

"If you wish, then..." Vamprah swallowed, but otherwise looked as unruffled as he usually did. "We can just teleport."

"But flying would be easier?"

"Yes. It is on the other side of the island and...we would have to utilize teleportation at least...three times."

Wow, he really was out of practice. But it was...oddly endearing. "Which would be a waste of energy. OK." she said.

"So on the way there...I will carry you, but...we will teleport on the return trip." He frowned slightly as he said this.

Silarial had to fight to keep down the grin that kept threatening to break out, eventually giving in and allowing herself a tiny smile. "That's just f-fine." She almost died of mortification upon hearing herself stutter, but Vamprah merely nodded, looking slightly relieved, and offered her his hand. This time, she took it without delay, clutching onto him tightly as he lifted himself into the air again.

He didn't say another word, but she was too busy walking on air to care about this.

X x X x X

**AN: HURRRR...that was fun. I actually enjoyed myself with this one. Though...once again, the ending kinda sucks. Fffff...stupid endings. I can never get you bastards right!**

**Anyway...not too heavy on the romance, though she's definitely got a crush by the end there...and Vamprah...uhh...he's one of those characters that I can't really see being interested in romance, so it's kinda difficult to write him like that. But at least I tried...?**

**And! Fifty chapters! It took three years, but we finally got to the mark! I want to make this sixty chapters, so there are still six request slots open. After that...**_**Blurbs and Other Such Things**_** will officially be finished. Holy crap.**

**But yeah, feel free to request and grab up those last six slots. And review, of course. Yes.**


	51. Silarial & Teridax, Let The Monster Rise

**Number Fifty-One**

**Title: Let The Monster Rise**

**Requested by: Zim'sMostLoyalServant**

**Pairing: None**

**Prompt: "****I've always wondered: since according to your canon, Silarial was created after Teridax took over the Brotherhood, does she know about Miserix? I'd be interested in seeing her reaction to finding out about her father's old 'boss' and how he took over."**

**Characters: Silarial, Teridax, Vamprah, Icarax, Chirox, Krika, Bitil (mentioned), Gorast (mentioned), Miserix (mentioned), other past Brotherhood members (mentioned), Shadrahk**

**Warning: Kind of general weirdness, along with memory-dreams from someone that those memories don't even belong to. And it's been about two-and-a-half years now since I last read ANYTHING pertaining to the 2008 storyline, so ties to canon events are all done from memory. My apologies right now if anything doesn't match up. **

X x X x X

"_If you are near to the dark I will tell you about the sun  
You are here, no escape  
From my visions of the world  
You will cry all alone  
But it does not mean a thing to me."  
- .hack/SIGN, "Aura"_

X x X

Ah, sweet, blessed shadow.

Silarial sighed, feeling her form melting into the darkness like water, becoming a part of it. It was a wonderful sensation, like nothing she had experienced anywhere else. And nor would she, she knew. The darkness was warm and comforting. Just wonderful to sleep in as well, and as the last of her de-materialized into the shadows of this one of the many caves on Destral, she felt herself at last begin to relax.

She had often been warned about this by Chirox: spending too much time out of your natural form was dangerous, he had said. Be careful lest you begin to forget what you actually are. Don't become something you're not too often or one day that's all you'll be.

Why he had bothered with the warning, she didn't know. Perhaps it had to do with how scarce their species already was, she being only one of two females left to the Makuta tribe.

That thought had been niggling at her for a long time; just why...why were there so few of them? Surely there must have once been more; why would the Great Beings only create such a small handful like that? It was foolish; while the Makuta were a powerful race, having so few members was dangerous to their continued existence. What if they were all wiped out one day? With such a low number, it wouldn't exactly be difficult to find them all...

Hm. Or maybe not, she mused, essence shifting slightly. Perhaps it was because of the immense power they carried. Maybe the Great Beings had believed that something as powerful as the average Makuta would have few worries.

And that was correct, except in her case. She wasn't even allowed to leave the island, so weak was she in comparison to her fellow Makuta. The thought was always very humbling, although Silarial liked to believe that each day she was becoming stronger and stronger.

Strong enough to make a kraata without fainting someday, even.

Now, onto that nap. She took one more moment to spread herself as deeply into the shadows as she could without losing track of any of her own molecules, and slept.

X x X

The sound of footsteps and a mutter of, "Where is that brat?" woke her up several hours later, and Silarial had to restrain herself from moving out of annoyance. Brat, indeed! Being young did not make one a "brat", she wanted to say, but of course that would be giving the game away.

He was growing impatient, she could tell, the last vestiges of tiredness draining away as she watched him. She liked to watch him; he was like a drama all on his own, vibrant, always on the move, always scheming something new. Always volatile and never quite in the mood to put up with one such as herself.

Maybe she should give him a clue, she thought, then no, that would only make him angry. As impatient as he could get sometimes, he liked to solve things on his own. Receiving help from her when she was the thing he was looking for would only serve to worsen whatever feelings he had for her. And that would be unbearable.

So she waited, unmoving, as Makuta Icarax searched the dark cave, green eyes narrowed in a scowl that always seemed to be there. She was just beginning to think that he wouldn't find her when he stalked over to where her essence was most concentrated, leaned down, and snapped, "I know you're there, now get up and let's go."

The game was up.

Slowly, Silarial materialized, feeling herself come back together. This part was always uncomfortable, and she knew it was showing on her face when Icarax smirked.

"If you don't like the feeling, then don't change so often."

"It's easier to sleep that way," she said lightly. _Not to mention it's easier to hide that way as well._

"Hm." Icarax grunted. "Well, it's annoying. I don't see what your obsession with these caves is. All that's in here is bones and Rahkshi stink."

She shrugged. "It's not bad. Perhaps if you spent more time in them, you'd begin to appreciate them more."

"Not likely. Besides, unlike you, I have better things to do than hide out in a cave all day."

_Things like WHAT?_ she wanted to bite back. _Things like striding around the fortress on actual business and trying to conquer us behind my father's back?_ But as usual, she said nothing, only let the last of her molecules slide back into her foot where they belonged and got up.

X x X

She had never told anyone about the dreams.

Truthfully, there was no reason to. They didn't come often, but when they did, they were incredibly detailed and vivid, to the point where she felt as if she were actually there and it was actually happening.

It all felt so _real_.

To her surprise, her father featured prominently in every single one of them - in fact, he was often the main focus. Random duties of his, except that in these dreams, he seemed different. There was not the sense of power that he had in reality, the feeling of absolute strength that literally poured from his form.

It was odd. And in some of them, he spoke to another being, a large red one who she could never make out clearly, almost as if he were _subservient_ to it.

This baffled her. Teridax, subservient to anyone? It simply didn't compute. Makuta Teridax had always been the leader of the Brotherhood of Makuta.

...hadn't he?

She didn't want to admit it, even to herself, but she was beginning to have doubts about the organization in general. First and foremost, why were there so few of them? Despite her earlier thoughts, the question simply refused to go away. The fortress on Destral was old, and it was built to accommodate at least three times the current number of beings inhabiting it. Several of the rooms were dusty and hadn't been used in probably millennia.

But sometimes, she could feel echoes of others in those rooms. Someone had lived in there, she just _knew_ they had, but she couldn't figure out who. Who had lived there long enough to leave such an aural presence that it could still be felt to this day?

X x X

After being dragged out of the caves by Icarax and forced back into the fortress, Silarial admitted to herself that she was having a hard time concentrating on her duties. See to and educate the Rahkshi as necessary. Keep on the lookout for possible intruders. Obey Teridax. The parts of her brain that were dedicated to paying attention to Icarax and to her obsession for figuring out what those odd dreams meant were taking over.

She pushed the thoughts of Icarax away with some difficulty. He always seemed to be in her head, and it was maddening. If she didn't know any better, she would have said he was doing it on purpose. But then, that was just Icarax. He tended to leave an impression on people, whether intentionally or not.

She just wished he hadn't left such an impression on _her_.

It surprised and slightly annoyed her to see that he was also in these mysterious dreams, but he was normal. A little more restrained, much more quiet, but still underneath Teridax as far as rank went.

But the dream she'd had in the cave just now had disturbed her. Never before had that mysterious red being been named, but now it had. And Icarax had been the one to call it by its - _his_ name.

"_Careful, or Miserix will have our heads!"_ he'd grinned, and then said, _"Not that we need 'em to survive, but ya know. It's the thought that counts."_

Miserix. The name sent an odd shiver down her spine, and that shiver was of familiarity. It was familiar to her, and she couldn't say why. She knew she'd never seen him before in her life outside of those dreams, so why did she feel like she knew him?

Perhaps it would be a good idea to talk to Chirox or Mutran about this, she decided. They were scientists, surely they'd know something about why she was having these dreams. Not that she'd let them try to "fix" her, of course, but at the very least, they would be able to tell her why it was happening. And possibly how she could stop it.

Silarial smiled and veered around the nearest corner, having left Icarax behind minutes ago. It was time to see an end to this nuisance.

X x X

"Chirox?"

The scientist grumbled and then rolled over, but otherwise didn't acknowledge her. Silarial had to force back the smile that threatened to creep up on her. She couldn't help it - who would have guessed that such powerful creature would like to sleep so much?

But sleep Chirox did, and on a regular basis. Pleasure and extra energy, he had explained to her once when she had asked. Excellent way to get both. Plus, it was wonderful for getting past the boredom of downtime.

And there he was, laid out on his own lab table, using one arm as a pillow and sleeping fitfully.

"Chirox?" Silarial reached out tentatively and touched his shoulder. As she had expected, he jerked and woke fully, bolting up and glaring at her for interrupting his nap.

"Yeah, what do you want?" he groused. He sat up, grumbling at the stiffness in his limbs. He was due for another checkup soon, curse it... "Can't this wait?"

She shook her head. "No. I need help."

"With what?" Besides everything, of course. The girl was practically a natural disaster in her own right. It was no bloody wonder Teridax kept her holed up in here. With Silarial, if something had the potential to go horribly wrong, then it would. He still had yet to figure out how she had managed to get caught under the rubble of the collapsing secret chamber in Voya Nui. The room was large, but of course she'd been right where the debris was coming down, and it had required over five hours of work for him to weld her armor back to normal, all the while trying to make sure he didn't damage the little bits of soul he kept having to shove back in when they tried to escape.

She bit her lip and scuffed one clawed foot against the floor. It was typical behavior, but what she said honestly surprised him. "I've been having weird dreams for the past millennium, and I need you to tell me why."

"Weird dreams?" Chirox asked warily. _"Weird dreams"_ could mean many things, some that didn't bear thinking about. "What kind of weird dreams are we talking about?"

"Well..." And here she began to twist her hands together nervously; oh Destral below, he really hoped she wasn't about to start sharing some kind of fantasy including her and some other male with him- "They're about my father."

About Teridax? Chirox felt his curiosity pique as an almost-forgotten conversation came back to him. _"She was born of your soul,"_ he had told Teridax three thousand years prior when the older Makuta had had him check up on his newly-created offspring, _"and certain things may apply. You can't be certain of just what's been given. Don't be surprised if she knows things because of residuals from the bits of soul you gave her..."_

Listening to her talk, he had to force down the urge to whip out a notebook and start taking down observations. What an experiment this would make! As soon as he finished with his current projects, perhaps he could start on this one...

"I'm having dreams about Father," Silarial said, haltingly. "In them, he's...well, he's working the way that you, or Icarax, or Gorast, or...or anyone else would. And...and he's not as strong. And there are..._others_ there with him..."

"Others?" Chirox asked, feeling his excitement grow. Alarms were going off in his head; this was important, this was _psychology_ and the results of the impulse to create at their finest, and it was _amazing_. "What were these others like? Can you describe them?"

Haltingly, she described some of them, and he was struck by the memories that assaulted him as well. He knew each of those that she described, or _had_ known them - they were all dead and gone now, but once...once, he had known them well.

She accepted his offer to properly show him these dreams through a mindlink, and once she was done being nervous and screwing up the process, he marveled at how vivid these recollections were.

He remembered her, and him, and him as well, oh and her, too, she in particular had been a lot of fun, a wonderful _distraction_ from his frustrations whenever they came about...a pity he'd eventually been ordered to kill her. He knew the details of the mission he could see Bitil being handed by a tall, whip-thin Makuta with black and purple armor, had cleaned up its results; what an odd case of déjà vu...memories, some faint and some strong, most lasting only a few seconds at the most, all detailing some part of Teridax's past...

But that was the thing, he thought uneasily all of a sudden. These weren't Silarial's memories at all, though they were in her head.

They were Teridax's memories. These were Teridax's memories that she was showing him, and he moved through them quickly, causing her to squirm uncomfortably. So many things, so many...Destral, he was seeing things that he shouldn't be seeing.

But there was curiosity in there as well, particularly towards the large red being that he also knew very well...Miserix. He knew him very well, indeed...

"_Then can you tell me who he is?"_ Silarial asked.

Chirox cursed. That was the problem with a mindlink like this - he was seeing her every thought, and she was seeing his. He backtracked hastily; if he gave away such classified information, Teridax would very likely kill him.

"_No one important,"_ he said curtly, and withdrew from the link just as the first stab of her annoyance came at him. He looked down at her now that he was back in his own body again, not surprised at all to see her on the floor. He'd pulled back too quickly, he knew, but it was necessary. Preventing her from seeing anything she shouldn't see was more important than keeping her from being disoriented from a hastily severed mindlink.

Silarial glared at him as she hauled herself to her feet. "He _is_ important," she said angrily, "and you're keeping it a secret from me."

He held up his hands, speaking to her in the cold, emotionless tone of a scientist. She hated that tone. "Those secrets are mine to keep, and I'm choosing to keep them. If you choose to be angry about that, then that's your problem."

"I asked you to _help_ me! Not confuse me even more!"

Chirox shrugged. "That's your problem, isn't it? The only thing I can tell you is that those aren't dreams."

"What are they, then?" she asked, and he was surprised to see that she now looked a little nervous again. "If they are not dreams, then what are they? Am I being mind-controlled in my sleep?"

He snorted. "Nothing like that. They're memories from the bits of soul Teridax gave you when you were created."

Well, this sucked. All his hopes of a new experiment had gone down the drain. Although, now that he thought of it, Teridax was unlikely to be very wild about the idea of his daughter being used as an experiment. Particularly one concerning memories that didn't belong to her in the first place.

She was now looking fairly disturbed, but he ignored her and informed her that if she had no further business with him, then she had better get out. It was better that way; without actually giving her any true information, he'd helped her...somewhat.

And besides, what did it matter if she was curious about the old Brotherhood and how it had been before? No harm was going to come out of it, he would bet on that.

X x X

Miserix.

Miserix.

Miserix.

Miserix.

The name was familiar, even though it actually wasn't. The only reason she knew of it was because of the residuals of her father's memory in her mind. Altogether, not a pleasant thought.

It was also enough to draw a few conclusions from. This Miserix had obviously once been a leader, and the rest of the Makuta had obviously been his subordinates. And there had been so many more of them back then! Other females as well, and not just Gorast.

Where were they all now? What had happened to them?

She couldn't shake the strange feeling that whatever it was, it had been horrible.

X x X

Screams haunted her dreams the next time she slept, three days later. And above the screams she could hear hysterical laughter and the sounds of battles being fought.

"_IT IS MINE NOW!"_ The words seemed to burst from her own mouth as she looked down at the beaten red form in front of her. _"Everything is mine!"_

"_TRAITOR!"_ this red being roared back at her, and the memory ended.

X x X

She didn't sleep for many more days after that.

X x X

An arm materialized out of the shadows and grabbed his. Far from being startled, however, Icarax merely stopped in his tracks, the last sounds of his footsteps echoing through the cold hall.

"I-Icarax?"

He watched as the rest of that smaller frame molded out of the shadows it had been hiding in, though it didn't let go of his arm, nor did he attempt to dislodge it.

"What is it, brat? I've got things to do, so make it quick."

Silarial bit her lip and looked up at him. He wasn't _glaring_, necessarily, but the look wasn't friendly either. "Um...I need to ask you a question." she said quietly.

Icarax blew steam out of his mouth, startling her. "Obviously. So what is it?"

The words came out in a rushed babble.

"Did my father every betray someone named Miserix?"

It took him a moment to decipher it, but once he had, he simply stared at her and then gave a low laugh. She'd surprised him, she could tell, but she hadn't been expecting amusement to come with it as well.

"And where'd you hear that name, huh?"

She tried to back away, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, the same one she'd grabbed him with, holding her there. He wasn't going to let her go until she'd answered, she knew, and quickly explained about her dreams and how Chirox had told her that they weren't really dreams but memories that weren't even hers.

Icarax was still looking entirely too amused, and she began to tug at her arm, trying to free it from her grasp. "You really want to know the answer to all that?" he asked, making her stop in her tracks.

For a moment, it was hard to answer. Yes, she wanted to know, but at the same time...perhaps she really didn't. And that look on his face was beginning to scare her.

"Alright then, Silarial..." That was the first time he'd said her actual name in ages. "I'll tell you." He smirked and dragged her closer to himself, murmuring in her ear, "Yeah, he betrayed Miserix. Didn't kill him, but that's another story."

She swallowed heavily. "And...and the others...?"

"Oh, them? Hmph. Hardly worth asking about, since they're all kind of _dead_ and stuff. Miserix was a special case; damn near impossible to kill. All the others, though, they were fair game for those of us who chose the new regime."

He eyed her amusedly. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you didn't expect something like this. Even back then, Teridax loved power, and second-in-command just didn't cut it. Not even leader cuts it, because that's still not the absolute top."

He released her with a gentle flick to the forehead and let her sink to her knees. After realizing Silarial wasn't about to say anything back, he nudged her carefully with one foot before giving up and going back to the task she'd distracted him from.

X x X

So there _had_ been more.

Once, a long, long time ago.

And Teridax was an usurper.

But that wasn't quite so different from what he was currently planning either, was it? And this current plan was for the good of the world. Perhaps it had been the same for Miserix as well...maybe Miserix was keeping the plan from proceeding the way it should. Destral knew Teridax had threatened to eliminate more than one being for being a hindrance...

She had to struggle to convince herself of this, though. In the end, she managed to mostly believe it and chose to ignore the rest. It was in the past and thus not important anymore. All that mattered was that the current plan would succeed.

Teridax was everything to her. Though he wasn't quite at god status, and hadn't been since the first few decades after her initial creation, she knew she would still believe him over everyone else. And why not? He had given her life, had kept her safe for three millennia. There was no reason for her _not_ to trust him, even if she did feel like a child at times for automatically taking everything he said at face value.

There was more, though, wasn't there? She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, somehow, with this situation. Something...something else that she had missed...

Before she could think any farther on it, a foot hit her in the side, making her yelp in surprise as her armor dented. The person who'd kicked her - no, tripped over her, she saw, as he too went down, landed on top of her, and then slid onto the floor in a heap.

"I-I'm sorry," she apologized quickly, getting up and offering a hand. "I-I should have gotten up off the floor a while ago...sorry..."

Krika ignored her hand and instead just stared at her through eyes that seemed a great deal more worried than they should have been. "What?" he asked distractedly. "Sorry? No, no, it doesn't matter, I wasn't paying attention, I wasn't..."

Silarial frowned at him as he continued to talk, half to her and half to himself, and picked himself up off the floor. What was the matter with _him?_

"...too many things on my mind, I've found things out...or maybe it's not so much finding out as those things just _coming_ out..." He gave a nervous, near-crazed laugh that had her tensing up.

"Uh...w-what things?"

His eyes sharpened suddenly, and he finally seemed to register what was going on. "You should leave," he said quietly. "You'll get caught up, and he...he won't want that. It would be bad. You need to go."

Go? Go where? Back outside? To her room? To her father? What on Destral was he talking about? She had been aware of Krika's reputation for being somewhat odd even for a Makuta, but this was even weirder than usual. "What's going on?" she asked, suspicion leaking into her voice.

Krika didn't flinch at the suspicious tone. "I can't tell you. Not before- not before I act..." He shifted his eyes to the wall above her head, mind whirring and worrying, then looked at her again. "You need to go. It won't be good for you here. Not good for any of us. Teridax is...I can't-"

"Did I hear my name?" The Brotherhood leader's voice oozed into the corridor like liquid silk, and suddenly he was there, towering over both of them and smiling in that way that was at once reassuring and completely menacing. "You were saying, Krika?"

The gray-and-red Makuta did flinch this time. "Th-the plan, sir," he gasped out, eyes wide with an incredible amount of fear that made no sense. "I...I don't think you should send Gorast with me and Bitil. She- she is too unstable, she'll go mad and destroy everything..."

"Let _me_ worry about Gorast, Krika." Teridax's tone was friendly, but the look in his eyes was anything but, and Krika took a few steps back. His fear was practically palpable by now, though Teridax didn't appear to notice. "You are here to do the job I have assigned you. Not worry about formations. You and Bitil will be enough to handle Gorast should she 'go mad'."

"Yes, sir," Krika gasped out. "I...I understand, sir."

"Good," Teridax smiled, and the sight of it was enough to even set Silarial's anxiety levels spiking. "I trust you will be ready to leave...?"

"I-immediately, sir. We- we are already prepared."

"Excellent."

No more words were required. Krika vanished with a small burst of energy, leaving Teridax alone with his offspring, who tried to maintain eye contact and gave up after a scant few seconds. "And what are you doing here, child? Should you not be outside?"

"My duties are done for the day, Father," she managed to get out. Krika's fear seemed to have infected her somehow, though she was merely nervous right now - but why? She had no reason to be nervous; she hadn't been doing anything wrong...

...except viewing his memories through her own head, she reminded herself guiltily. That was why.

Mumbling that she was going to the caves for some peace and quiet, she excused herself and resisted the urge to run from her father, instead choosing to teleport. This proved to be a mistake, as her aim was still off, and she instead landed on top of Chirox's lab table just as the scientist was dissecting something.

Needless to say, it was rather a long time before she managed to make it to the caves, and no sooner had she made it that Vamprah popped up and informed her it was time to go back to the fortress.

Sometimes, she didn't know why she bothered.

X x X

"Tomorrow, you are going back to Voya Nui. To the cavern where I first left you. You will not leave. Do you understand?"

Blue eyes met blue eyes, one pair indifferent and the other confused. "You're sending me away again?" Silarial asked. It hurt to be sent away again, and it was because of her weakness. She wasn't _good_ enough to be a warrior, wasn't good enough to join the fight against the Toa or the Order of Mata Nui. She knew it, and if she knew it, then Teridax most assuredly did.

"Yes." Teridax's voice was sharp and cold, just as if he were talking to any of his other subordinates. She had never expected special treatment, and was slightly gratified that he was at least treating her like the rest. That had to count for something, right?

Or maybe he just had use for her elsewhere. Maybe...but it wasn't true. She couldn't convince herself of that.

"Um, Father..." She bit her lip, wondering how to phrase the question that she wanted - no, _needed_ to ask before leaving. This was likely the last time she'd be able to ask it, though she couldn't say how she knew that. It just seemed to be the truth, and she went with it.

"What is it?"

"I..." And she faltered, cursing herself for it yet again. _Stop stammering!_ she scolded herself. _Just open your mouth and say it!_ "It's about Krika yesterday..."

"_Yes?_"

And that tone bordered on dangerous. She resisted the urge to bolt and plowed on, shakingly. "He...he said some things about the plan...that he had found something out. He said I had to leave because somebody wouldn't like it if I got involved, so I couldn't help but wonder if this-"

She stopped talking as Teridax's eyes flashed red suddenly. "I-I'm sorry," she muttered, bowing her head. In the corner of the room, Shadrahk shifted uncomfortably, eyes just as worried as hers were. He wouldn't step in, she knew, and she didn't expect him to. Nor should he. He would die if he did.

"This has nothing to do with whatever idiocy Krika was babbling yesterday evening, Silarial." Teridax said, his voice now that terrifying blend of silky smooth and menacing growl. "This is for your own safety, but I should not have to explain that to you. I would have thought it would be obvious."

Silarial flinched at that, a deep knife of hurt stabbing into her. Stupid, stupid, stupid! She should have known better than to doubt like that, or to have listened to Krika. She'd be lucky if this wouldn't affect Teridax's opinion of her for the next several millennia. Perhaps he would begin to consider her useless as well...

No. She nearly shook her head, but remembered where she was and stopped, merely lowering her eyes again in a show of respect.

"Yes, Father." she said. "I should have realized that. I...I apologize for doubting you."

"Do not do it again." More growl this time than silk. She shivered.

"I will not."

Seamlessly, he moved past that and onto different matters. "I trust you can make it to Voya Nui on your own."

"My...my aim is still off," she admitted quietly, hating herself for it. "With teleportation, I mean. I-if I had help then I could do it, but if I misfire then I'll probably land on a different island and-"

"Then come over here and let's get it over with."

Obediently, she stepped forward and allowed him to take both of her hands in his, not breaking eye contact with him. She tried to take comfort in him as she had always done before, but it was impossible now. The truth of what was happening was horrible.

She was afraid of him now. Very, very afraid, if she were to be honest with herself. And there is no comfort to be found in someone you fear so utterly. It would never be the same between them again.

With a look from Teridax, Silarial closed her eyes and started the teleportation process. Her father's power and will added to her own, and when she opened her eyes again, there was no one with her and she was standing in the middle of a very familiar room, looking at a very familiar and once again smashed-open door.

She knelt on the ground and wrapped her arms around herself. Danger. Danger. Danger. Danger. Teridax was pure danger, now extending that even to her. She felt like she had narrowly escaped death. Perhaps that was indeed the case...

With a sigh, she decided to go to sleep, and when she did, her dreams were no longer filled with memories of a great red Makuta, nor with the shades of the dead. They were just dreams, and she was content with that.

X x X x X

**AN: So, um...that took a while. This one was kind of difficult to write. I also went through about eight million other drafts for it, which included alternate scenes that I eventually decided to either scrap or redo. But now here it is!**

**Only nine more to go, and then we're done!**

**Review please!**


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